My Father’s Shadow

When young brothers Remi and Akin unexpectedly decide to accompany their often-absent father to the city to collect his overdue salary, what unfolds is an eye-opening journey through memory, the nature of masculinity, and a country on the cusp of a crucial transformation. Drawn from the experiences of first-time Nigerian director Akinola Davies Jr. and co-written with his brother Wale, this extraordinary debut is a personal family story—intimate and epic—set against the turbulence of 1993 Lagos during a national election promising a shift from military rule to democracy.

Featuring riveting performances by real-life brothers Godwin Chiemerie Egbo and Chibuike Marvelous Egbo, My Father’s Shadow depicts the wonder of seeing someone clearly for the first time—and finding something wholly unexpected. In Nigerian Pidgin, Yoruba, and English, with English subtitles.

“One of the most stirring debuts in recent years. An alluring miracle of a movie.” —Carlos Aguilar, The Playlist