--- title: "My Father's Shadow" year: 2025 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow" fi1m_id: "my-fathers-shadow" imdb_id: "tt35695538" tmdb_id: 1432605 wikidata_id: "Q132197250" fi1m_score: 81 critics_score: 84 critics_reviews: 11 published: "2026-09-09" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:45.246896+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # My Father's Shadow (2025) Directed by Akinola Davies Jr. · 1h 33m · MPA NR · Drama ## Identity My Father's Shadow - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** my-fathers-shadow - **IMDb ID:** tt35695538 - **TMDB ID:** 1432605 - **Wikidata ID:** Q132197250 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35695538/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1432605, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132197250 **Fi1m score: 81** · Critics 84 from 11 reviews *In a sentence:* One day with a father you barely know, and the country picks that day to come apart > Akinola Davies Jr.’s first film gives two boys a single day in Lagos with the father who has not been there, and it is patient, plain and finally moving. The middle drifts while everyone waits for news. The ending earns the wait. ## Synopsis Lagos, 1993. Folarin (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) has been away from his family for a long time, and one morning he is simply back, standing in the house where his two sons, Olaremi (Chibuike Marvellous Egbo) and Akinola (Godwin Egbo), have been waiting for him without saying so. He takes them with him into the city for the day. Nigeria has just voted, the radio keeps promising a result, and the streets are full of people who want to know it. Akinola Davies Jr.’s first film, written with Wale Davies and drawn from his own childhood, follows the father and his boys from morning to night, through markets, offices, traffic and the homes of people Folarin used to know. ## Review Folarin (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) has not been home in a long time. One morning he is there, in the house where his sons Olaremi (Chibuike Marvellous Egbo) and Akinola (Godwin Egbo) have been waiting without admitting it, and he takes them into Lagos for the day. It is 1993, the country has just voted, and every radio is promising a result that keeps not arriving. Akinola Davies Jr., directing his first film from a script written with Wale Davies and drawn from his own childhood, follows the three of them from morning to night. That is the whole shape of it. We liked it a great deal, and the ending is what will decide how much you do. The two boys are brothers off screen as well as on, and it shows in the way they fight. They argue about who walks nearer their father, they translate him for each other, and when something frightens them they close ranks before either has decided to. Neither has been asked to perform childhood. Davies mostly lets them look, and gives them a great deal to look at. We laughed at their squabbling more than once, and then noticed how carefully both of them were keeping an eye on the tall man ahead. Dìrísù plays Folarin as a man his sons have half invented. He is quiet, he answers questions a beat late, and he is trying to be a father for one day in a city that keeps pulling him into other business. Dìrísù is good at the small failures: a promise made too quickly, a look over the boys’ heads at something they cannot see. The family moves between three languages and the film does not slow down to help you. It trusts that you will get the sense from the faces, and you do. Jermaine Canute Edwards keeps the camera low and close, so Lagos arrives the way it would to a child: in pieces, loud, mostly above eye level. Pablo and Jennifer Anti’s production design does not fuss over the period. The year is in the radios and the cars and the way strangers talk about the count, and nobody points at any of it. Duval Timothy and CJ Mirra’s music keeps to the edges and lets the street noise carry most scenes. Omar Guzmán’s editing slips into memory without announcing it: the boys appear smaller, played by Akereli David and Owa Orire Jeremiah, and a scene passes before you are certain when it was. The middle loosens. Folarin has errands in the city we never quite understand, and for a stretch the boys are parked in rooms while adults talk over them. The election comes in as bulletins and rumour rather than anything the family is made to do, and around the halfway mark there are ten minutes where the film seems as unsure as its characters what to do while it waits. Some of that is the point; a child’s day is mostly waiting. But we were watching people wait and doing the same, and we noticed. Folarin is also kept at a distance throughout, which is right for the boys and occasionally frustrating for us. Then the day ends, and we will not say how. What we can say is that the last stretch moved us more than the eighty minutes before it had led us to expect, and that it did so without a speech or a swell of music. It comes from a face and from the order in which Davies chooses to show us things. We sat through the credits. Most critics have been warmer still, and we understand why; films about a remembered childhood are usually forgiven a little drift, and this one has more feeling in it than most. We would only say that the drift is there and that a first-time director will have to lose it next time. It runs 93 minutes and carries a 12A. Take a child old enough to sit through the waiting, because the waiting is where the film lives. *Fi1m score 81, published 9 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are unanimous and the spread is narrow: every critic reads Akinola Davies Jr’s debut as a strong one, with scores clustering in the eighties and only a couple straying higher. The praise settles in three places. First, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as the absent father, described as tender, nuanced and mythic in roughly equal measure. Second, the casting of real-life brothers as the two boys, which several critics say gives the sibling scenes an ease that could not have been directed into them. Third, Lagos in 1993: most reviews dwell on how the film puts the city’s noise, heat and menace through a child’s eyes, with the sound design and cinematography singled out more than once. Reservations are scarce. The Hollywood Reporter finds the storytelling patchy in places, and one or two critics call the film elusive, but nobody treats that as a serious fault. Real dissent has not yet arrived. ## Straight answers **Is My Father's Shadow worth watching?** *My Father's Shadow* is worth watching, and we scored it 81. Akinola Davies Jr.'s first film follows two boys through one day in Lagos with the father who has not been there, and the last stretch moved us more than we expected. The middle drifts while everyone waits for election news, so it suits patient viewers rather than anyone wanting incident. **How long is My Father's Shadow, and what is it rated?** *My Father's Shadow* runs 1h 33m and is rated NR by the MPA in the US. It is a drama film. **Where can I watch My Father's Shadow in the US?** *My Father's Shadow* is streaming on MUBI, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $5.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is My Father's Shadow, and is it suitable for children?** *My Father's Shadow* carries a 12A and contains little that is violent or frightening on screen. The unease comes from a country waiting on an election result and from two boys watching a father they barely know, not from anything shown directly. It is fine for children old enough to sit through long stretches of adults talking and waiting. **How does My Father's Shadow compare to Bicycle Thieves?** *My Father's Shadow* is the gentler and looser of the two films, while [*Bicycle Thieves*](https://film.one/film/bicycle-thieves) is the tighter and more painful. Both follow a father and son through one long day in a city that will not help them, but De Sica's film has a single pressing purpose where Davies's drifts in its middle. Choose the earlier film for force, this one for a quieter, more forgiving day. **What should I watch after My Father's Shadow?** After *My Father's Shadow*, try [*Bicycle Thieves*](https://film.one/film/bicycle-thieves) (1948, Fi1m 93): A father, a son and one long day in a city that will not help them. Then [*Aftersun*](https://film.one/film/aftersun) (2022, Fi1m 85): A holiday with a father, remembered later, with the gaps left where they were; and [*Ratcatcher*](https://film.one/film/ratcatcher) (1999, Fi1m 88): Lynne Ramsay’s Glasgow childhood, seen from low down and cut like memory. ### Reviews we read (16) - **Variety**, Murtada Elfadl (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the debut as a miraculous gem of autofiction that upends expectations with its intimate family drama set against political unrest. It singles out the authentic casting of real-life brothers as the young leads and the revelatory performance of Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as the mythic father for particular praise. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/my-fathers-shadow-review-nigeria-cannes-1236402288/) - **Empire**, John Nugent (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a hugely impressive debut, personal and political, a tender and spellbinding depiction of family in fraught times. They single out the film's ability to evocatively summon the sights, sounds and smells of Lagos and the well-rounded performance by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/my-fathers-shadow/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Akinola Davies Jr's strong directorial debut as a moving, personal coming-of-age story about two boys briefly reunited with their absent father during Nigeria's 1993 election unrest. It highlights the film's child’s-eye view of Lagos and the emotional question of whether absence equates to love. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/18/my-fathers-shadow-review-subtle-and-intelligent-coming-of-age-tale-set-in-1993-nigeria) - **Financial Times**, Jonathan Romney (80/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a strong autobiographically inspired debut that captures a hallucinatory child’s-eye view of 1993 Lagos and paternal complexities. It praises the inspired casting of the young brothers and Dirisu’s tender, thoughtful presence. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/9302f863-13c4-4da1-a4db-41182c86763d) - **Radio Times**, James Mottram (4/5): The critic describes it as a beguiling coming-of-age story with a strong sense of place in a teeming, vibrant yet dangerous Lagos, praising the beautiful performances that capture the boys’ realization of their father’s strengths and flaws. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-7f7kfn/my-fathers-shadow/) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The critic calls it a bold debut that blends wide-eyed childhood discovery with political tension in 1990s Nigeria, praising the immersive controlled chaos, strong performances by Sope Dirisu and the young leads, and its touching, contemplative quality. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/my-fathers-shadow-review-2025) - **The Times**, Ed Potton (75/100, inferred): The review commends the assured directorial debut and Sope Dirisu's nuanced, moving performance as the absent father reconnecting with his sons amid political tension. It singles out the finely judged sibling dynamics and the film's trilingual authenticity. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/my-fathers-shadow-film-review-sope-dirisu-wlsrhwhmm) - **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich: The critic describes it as a beautifully remembered drama about a fateful day trip into Lagos and the first Nigerian film at Cannes. They highlight the semi-autobiographical tale of an absent father trying to set an example for his sons amid national turmoil. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/my-fathers-shadow-review-nigerian-film-1235123198/) - **Sight and Sound**: The critic praises Akinola Davies Jr.’s debut as an exquisite exploration of family bonds and childhood discovery during a single day in 1990s Lagos amid political unrest. It highlights the natural performances by the real-life brother actors and the film’s tender handling of memory, nostalgia, and moral guidance. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/my-fathers-shadow-exquisite-exploration-family-bonds-1990s-nigeria) - **Slant Magazine**, Derek Smith: The critic calls it a moving portrait of a family and nation on the cusp of change, praising how it filters personal and political hope and fear through the boys' perspectives with strong sound design and character depth. They note the father's complexity and the film's symbolic elements. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/my-fathers-shadow-review-sope-dirisu/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Lovia Gyarkye: The critic calls the debut an elegant and stirring ode to Lagos that poetically parallels the personal and the political through a father-son story set against Nigeria's 1993 election crisis. They single out the impressionistic, child-centered visuals and sound design for praise while noting some patchy narrative elements. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/my-fathers-shadow-review-nigeria-sope-dirisu-1236220935/) - **The New York Times**, Alissa Wilkinson (NYT Critic’s Pick): The critic finds the film a deeply personal coming-of-age story filtered through memory and love, following two young brothers on a pivotal day with their father amid Nigeria's 1993 political turmoil. It singles out the luminous, odyssey-like quality of the boys' perspective for praise. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/movies/my-fathers-shadow-review.html) - **The Playlist**, Carlos Aguilar (A): The critic calls it a mournful miracle and one of the most stirring debuts in recent years. He singles out the film's lyrical imagery seen through the children's eyes and its devastating emotional impact in the final minutes. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/my-fathers-shadow-review-a-mournful-miracle-of-a-film-evokes-heartbreak-similar-to-aftersun-but-1990s-lagos-nigeria-cannes-20250518/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of the most moving and universally relevant films at the festival, highlighting the heartfelt story of fathers and sons, strong performances, and poetic cinematography. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/05/my-fathers-shadow-review-cannes-1236402626/) - **Paste** (B+): The critic calls this a sweet and arresting debut feature from British-Nigerian writer-director Akinola Davies Jr. that follows two brothers on an impromptu day trip to Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 election crisis. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/akinola-davies-jr/my-fathers-shadow-review) - **The Wrap**, Steve Pond (80/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a rhapsody that mixes family dynamics with mystery and political turmoil, praising its elusive quality and blend of reality and imagination. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/my-fathers-shadow-review-cannes-first-nigerian-movie-mixes-autobiography-and-mystery/) ## Details - **Director:** Akinola Davies Jr. - **Director:** Akinola Davies Jr. - **Writer:** Wale Davies, Akinola Davies Jr. - **Cinematography:** Jermaine Canute Edwards - **Editor:** Omar Guzmán - **Music:** CJ Mirra, Duval Timothy - **Production design:** Pablo Anti, Jennifer Anti - **Costume design:** PC Williams - **Producer:** Rachel Dargavel, Funmbi Ogunbanwo - **Cast:** Sope Dirisu as Folarin; Chibuike Marvellous Egbo as Olaremi; Godwin Egbo as Akinola; Akereli David as Young Remi; Owa Orire Jeremiah as Young Akin; Efon Wini as Bola; Olarotimi Fakunle as Corridor; Greg 'Teddybear' Ojeufa as Emeka - **Runtime:** 1h 33m - **Certificate (MPA):** NR - **Release (the US):** 6 February 2026 - **Genres:** Drama - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50ICTaEuQxg ## Where to watch in the US - MUBI: streaming, uhd - Apple TV: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $5.99, hd - Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd *Checked 2026-09-10.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IN, IT, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Bicycle Thieves* (1948), Fi1m 93: A father, a son and one long day in a city that will not help them. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/bicycle-thieves.md) - *Aftersun* (2022), Fi1m 85: A holiday with a father, remembered later, with the gaps left where they were. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/aftersun.md) - *Eyimofe (This Is My Desire)* (2020): Lagos again, adult this time, and just as unwilling to hurry for anyone. - *The Kid with a Bike* (2011): The Dardennes on a boy chasing a father who keeps not being there. - *Ratcatcher* (1999), Fi1m 88: Lynne Ramsay’s Glasgow childhood, seen from low down and cut like memory. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ratcatcher.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow