My Father's Shadow
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- Trailer 1 (02:00)
Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city's magnitude and their father's daily struggles as political unrest threatens their journey home.
Cast
- Sope Dirisu
- Godwin Egbo
- Chibuike Marvellous Egbo
- Efòn Wini
- Tosin Adeyemi
- Adesina McCoy Babalola
- Lawrence Chu
- Yetunde Coker
- Akerele David
- Wale Davies
Moviegoers are saying
Akinola Davies Jr.'s semi-autobiographical debut 'My Father's Shadow' has left audiences emotionally devastated in the best way possible, with multiple reviewers describing being 'crushed' and 'floored' by its intimate portrayal of two brothers discovering their distant father during a chaotic day trip to 1993 Lagos. The film's gorgeous 16mm cinematography and Sope Dirisu's spectacular performance create what critics are calling a haunting masterpiece that captures the fragmented, dreamy perspective of childhood against the backdrop of Nigeria's political turmoil.
Top Mentions
Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews
Letterboxd User Reviews
4.1
38.8K
15.5K
16.3K
- Feb 13, 2026
there’s a beach scene here that puts this up there with moonlight and aftersun. whole thing crushed me
˗ˏˋ suspirliam ˊˎ˗May 18, 2025June 24, 1993 will become known as one of the most consequential days in the brief history of post-colonial Nigeria, but — for the two young boys at the heart of Akinola Davies Jr.’s semi-autobiographical drama “My Father’s Shadow” — that date is destined to be remembered…
davidehrlichJun 13, 2025i was absolutely floored by my father’s shadow. air swept all the way out of me. such a haunting and tender look at family, memory, sacrifice, and notions of home. tremendous, tremendous performances across the board. sensational.
aliyah - Sep 13, 2025
bro looks amazing in purple
foomajJun 11, 2026Juvenile naivety and joy blended with spouts of deep political unrest. It moves like a recollection, with token-like moments dominating. Long stares at the birds in the sky or at things unknown - so many simple close-ups with the wonderful piano score playing in the…
SethsreviewsOct 16, 2025As children, our understanding of life is generated through a patchwork of small lived experiences, then gradually, piece by piece, we begin to better understand the world at large. My Father's Shadow is a masterful love letter to protectors and providers — those who…
justin rubin - Nov 23, 2025
so beautiful, so personal, and so excellent at capturing the fragmented and dreamy point of view of adolescence.
Vera DrewNov 30, 2025the camera gazes upon the people with so much love! the beauty of it all made me cry!
siviFeb 8, 2026Yes. 16mm was the most gorgeous choice for this story and setting. Simple and incredibly impactful.
Meg Hughes
Queue Community Reviews
86%
Community 122
Top Reviews
- homachops lovedMy Father's Shadow
An excellent film, up there with the other very few good Nigerian period pieces. Everything shot was beautiful. A perfect juggle of comedy, history and suspense, but still very personal. You can really tell when effort is put into something, a must watch.
Shally is "meh" onMy Father's ShadowHonestly as a nigerian this show just gave me PTSD, nothing has changed at all. I left the cinema feeling a pit in my stomach🥹 The movie itself was slow, and somewhat boring but beautiful cinematography. It was a coming of age movie of little boys who needed their dad. 5.8/10
Sabrina Harrison likedMy Father's ShadowA nice story and shows the ups nd owns of family and parents, child relationships. Achy was well done and actors put on a nice PERFORMANCE.
- odessa lovedMy Father's Shadow
such a beautiful and emotionally striking film
Louis-Kyan likedMy Father's Shadow7,5/10
Atom Users Reviews
Metacritic
Feb 13, 2026
As the memory fades into history, My Father’s Shadow blurs into documentary footage, which then blurs with wishful thinking. It’s formally ambitious for such a contained film, but grants this small-scale story the well-considered gravity of something held close to the heart.
Jacob Oller
The A.V. Club
Feb 10, 2026
My Father’s Shadow is a gem, a deeply felt memory piece and vibrant portrait of Nigeria in 1993.
Lindsey Bahr
The Associated Press
Feb 7, 2026
Hope and fear are inextricably bound in Akinola Davies Jr.’s semi-autobiographical film.
Derek Smith
Slant Magazine
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is My Father's Shadow (2026)?
The movie is 1hr 34min long.
What's My Father's Shadow (2026) about?
Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city's magnitude and their father's daily struggles as political unrest threatens their journey home.
Who's the cast of My Father's Shadow (2026)?
- Sope Dirisu as Folarin
- Godwin Egbo as Aki
- Chibuike Marvellous Egbo as Remi
- Efòn Wini as Bola
- Tosin Adeyemi as Aunty Seyi
- Adesina McCoy Babalola as Gbemi
- Lawrence Chu as Segun
- Yetunde Coker as Disgruntled Passenger
- Akerele David
- Wale Davies as Bridge Prophet
Who's the director behind My Father's Shadow (2026)?
Akinola Davies directed My Father's Shadow (2026).
Who produced My Father's Shadow (2026)?
Rachel Dargavel and Funmbi Ogunbanwo produced My Father's Shadow (2026).
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