My Father’s Shadow
MovieCrew • Director
Year
2025
Rating
4.4
Box Office
₦25,151,750
Talent SpotlightDirectorNigeria
Akinola Ogunmade-Davies Jr.
My Father’s Shadow
Akinola Davies Jr. is a British-Nigerian filmmaker, writer, and visual artist who bridges Lagos and London through film. Born in London and raised partly in Lagos and the U.S.,...
Known For
Director
Country
Nigeria
Latest Credit
My Father’s Shadow (2025)
Popularity
0.0 score
Overview
Biography
Akinola Davies Jr. is a British-Nigerian filmmaker, writer, and visual artist who bridges Lagos and London through film. Born in London and raised partly in Lagos and the U.S., he honed his craft at the New York Film Academy. Early in his career, he directed music videos and commercials for top fashion houses like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. His short film Lizard, rooted in childhood memories of Nigeria, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and earned a BAFTA nomination for Best British Short Film. In 2025, Davies made history with his feature debut My Father’s Shadow, co-written with his brother Wale. The film premiered in Cannes’s Un Certain Regard section, earning a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or. It marked the first-ever Nigerian film selected for the festival’s official selection. His ongoing work—rooted in identity, community, and memory—reveals stories that are personal yet universal, presented through a lens that spans continents yet stays deeply intimate.
Known For
Social & Reach
At a glance
Country
Nigeria
Primary Craft
Director
Known For
Director
Popularity
0.0 score
Awards
2 wins, 2 nominations
Annual Wrap
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View 2025 WrapCredits
Filmography
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2 credits
4.4 average rating
My Father’s Shadow
MovieCrew • Writer
Year
2025
Rating
4.4
Box Office
₦25,151,750
Honors
Awards & nominations
A snapshot of wins and nominations tied to this person across tracked ceremonies.
Wins: 2Nominations: 2
Year
2026
2026 BAFTA
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
Winner
Year
2026
AMVCA 12
Best Director
Winner
Industry Pulse
In the News
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News
Director Akinola Davies Jr.’s Path To Acclaim: From Lizard To My Father’s Shadow, Both Now Available To Stream On MUBI - ShockNG
The Story⚡ An eight-year-old girl trails a lizard through the grounds of a Lagos megachurch and glimpses its hidden contradictions, years before two young brothers navigate Lagos with their distant father amid Nigeria’s turbulent 1990s. These moments anchor the early and recent work of British-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr., now paired in a double-bill that …
News
Akinola Davies Jr. Earns Gotham Nomination After Major Jury Prize Win for “My Father’s Shadow" | Pulse Nigeria
Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. continues his global streak as My Father’s Shadow earns him a Gotham Award nomination after taking home the Grand Jury Prize at the NBO Film Festival.
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Frequent Collaborators
Wale Davies
Writer
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Adesina McCoy Babalola
Actor
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Chibuike Marvellous Egbo
Actor
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Godwin Chiemerie
Actor
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Gregory Ojefua
Actor
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Lawrence Chudi
Actor
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Martha Ehinome
Actor
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Olarotimi Michael Fakunle
Actor
1 shared title
My Father’s Shadow
Signature Titles