Monday Night Cinema

My Father’s Shadow

Drawing loosely on his own experiences and co-written with his brother, this first feature from director Akinola Davies Jr. deftly explores themes of loss, memory, nostalgia and connected histories in 1990s Nigeria.

Whilst their mother is away in the village, young Nigerian bothers Remi and Akin are taken by surprise when their often-absent father Folarin arrives home. Their surprise turns into excitement when Folarin suggests that the brothers accompany him to Lagos for the day, as he needs to collect a long-overdue salary. The trip becomes a journey of discovery for the boys as they spend time with their father and become more aware of their country’s political unrest.

My Father’s Shadow is an extraordinary debut and a powerful, poetic piece of cinema.