My Father’s Shadow

In Akinola Davies Jr.’s stunning directorial feature debut, two siblings spend a rare day with their mysterious father, who takes them on a trip to Lagos. Young brothers Remi and Akin are playing outside their home in rural Nigeria when their absent father arrives and announces he is taking them to the country’s largest city. As they journey through Lagos, which awaits the results of the 1993 presidential election, they sense an air of heightened uncertainty and witness growing unrest, all the time observing sides of their father they had never previously seen. Davies Jr.’s debut is a wonderfully textured work, alive with detail and simmering with a powerful emotional undertow. Lagos, seen in intimate close up from the children’s perspective, is a vibrant rush of chaos and heat, bringing the boys precious moments with their father. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (Gangs of London, His House) is exceptional, balancing sternness and tenderness in equal measure. The film was awarded a Special Mention in Caméra d’Or Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and garnered twelve nominations at the British Independent Film Awards, with Davies Jr winning Best Director.

Kimberley Sheehan, Lead Programmer

Contains scenes of graphic violence.

Audio Description available at all screenings. The screenings on Wed 4 Mar 12:10 NFT4; Fri 6 Mar 18:05 NFT4; and Thu 12 Mar 12:15 NFT4 will be presented with Descriptive Subtitles.

Closed Captions available via WatchWord smart glasses – please see our Closed Captions page for a list of screenings.