
My Father's Shadow makes historic Cannes debut for Nigerian Cinema
Akinola Davies Jr.’s debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2025, marking a watershed moment as the first Nigerian fiction film in the festival’s Official Selection. Set during the political turbulence of the 1993 Nigerian elections, the film delivers a poignant story of estranged family and national identity. Shot on location in Lagos and Ibadan, the project exemplifies Africa’s rising influence in global cinema.