Akinola Davies Jr.’s critically acclaimed debut feature My Father’s Shadow is now available for streaming on Netflix in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. The announcement marks a significant milestone for the British-Nigerian film that has already made history on the international festival circuit and at major awards ceremonies.

Shot entirely in Lagos and set on June 12, 1993- the day of Nigeria’s annulled presidential election-My Father’s Shadowfollows two young brothers, Remi and Akin, as they spend a rare day in the city with their estranged father, Folarin. Political tension and unrest build around them while the family navigates the bustling streets.

The story explores themes of fatherhood, memory, absence, and the quiet sacrifices of everyday life against a pivotal moment in Nigerian history.

The film stars British-Nigerian actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as Folarin, with real-life brothers Chibuike Marvellous Egbo and Godwin Chiemerie Egbo making their screen debuts as the older and younger sons. Co-written by Davies Jr. and his brother Wale Davies, the screenplay draws loosely from the brothers’ own experiences.

Their father died from an epileptic seizure when Akinola was just 20 months old and Wale was about four. The film reimagines what a single day with him might have been like, blending personal longing with the texture of 1990s Lagos life.

My Father’s Shadow premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Nigerian film selected for the festival’s Official Selection. It earned a Caméra d’Or Special Mention for Davies Jr. The film later won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.

It swept major categories at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), including Best Overall Movie and Best Director, and also secured Best Director at the British Independent Film Awards along with recognition at the Gotham Awards.

After its theatrical release in Nigeria by FilmOne Entertainment in September 2025, the film crossed the $1 million mark at the global box office-a notable achievement for a debut independent feature. It received theatrical releases in the UK and North America through Mubi and was selected as the United Kingdom’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards.

Critics have praised the film for its intimate, child’s-eye perspective and its ability to capture both the personal and the political. Viewers experience Lagos through the eyes of the two boys as they observe their father’s world his workplace struggles, social interactions, and the weight of providing for his family while the larger national drama of the election unfolds in the background.

The 94-minute drama has been described as a tender yet layered portrait of memory, masculinity, and national transition.

Davies Jr., who previously directed the BAFTA-nominated short Lizard, has spoken about the project as an act of reclaiming and imagining family history. The brothers pieced together fragments of stories about their father from relatives and friends, transforming those incomplete memories into a cinematic narrative that resonates beyond their personal experience.

The production was a UK-Nigeria collaboration involving Element Pictures, Fatherland Productions, BBC Film, and the BFI, among others.

The Netflix release expands access for audiences across key African markets at a time when Nigerian storytelling continues to gain global attention. Nollywood remains one of the world’s most prolific film industries, yet My Father’s Shadow stands out for its festival breakthrough and international awards success.

Its presence on the platform offers viewers in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa the chance to experience a film that has already left a mark on the global stage.

Public Reaction

Industry observers note that the film’s journey—from Cannes premiere to BAFTA win, AMVCA dominance, and solid box-office performance highlights growing recognition for African-led, internationally co-produced cinema.

Davies Jr. has also been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, further underscoring the project’s impact.

With its blend of intimate family drama and historical backdrop, My Father’s Shadow invites audiences to reflect on the ways personal stories intersect with national moments. The day spent by Remi, Akin, and Folarin becomes both a specific memory and a broader meditation on presence, absence, and the legacies parents leave behind.

Viewers in the four Netflix Africa territories can now stream the film. Its arrival on the platform ensures that a wider audience can engage with a work that has already earned its place among the most celebrated Nigerian films of recent years.

The story of two brothers and their father on a single charged day in 1993 continues to resonate more than three decades later, carried forward by a debut that has proven both personal and historic.