Akinola Davis Jr.'s My Father's Shadow paints a poetic and sensitive picture of the relationship between father and son against the backdrop of political unrest in Lagos in 1993. The film accompanies a single day and follows a journey into the vibrant Nigerian metropolis: Folarin and his sons Akin and Remi grapple with their family ties as they move through a city on the brink of a democratic crisis. As shadows lengthen over Lagos and more of Folarin's past comes to light, tensions between him and his sons become increasingly apparent.

With their first feature film, brothers and creative partners Akinola Davis Jr. and Wale Davies bring to life the energy, complexity, and strong sense of community of Nigeria in the 1990s—captured on 16mm film.

My Father's Shadow celebrated its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. It was the first Nigerian film to be selected for the festival's Official Selection and won the special Caméra d'Or award.

A thousand hopes reside in “My Father’s Shadow,” the crushingly personal semi-autobiographical film by director Akinola Davies... a masterwork by a first-time director whose crafting of an epic scope and sense of tender intimacy makes for another new peak for African cinema. - RogerEbert.com