Biography
Akinola Davies Jr. is a British-Nigerian filmmaker, writer and visual artist. Born in London and raised in Lagos and the United States, he studied English language with media studies at the University of Brighton and trained at the New York Film Academy, graduating in 2009. He began his career assisting photographers and filmmakers before directing music videos and commercials for brands including Gucci.
Davies is known for the short film Lizard (2020), co-written with his brother Wale Davies, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Short Film at Sundance and received a BAFTA nomination. His feature debut My Father's Shadow (2025), also co-written with his brother, premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, the first Nigerian film in the official selection, and won a Caméra d'Or Special Mention. It received twelve British Independent Film Award nominations, including a win for Davies for Best Director, and a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding Debut.
