My Father’s Shadow

The year is 1993, and Nigeria is in the middle of a presidential election, one that can resurrect democracy after years of military dictatorship. Amid such political turbulence, we follow a kind-hearted but absent father, Fola (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù), determined to make it to Lagos with his two sons (Godwin Egbo and Chibuike Egbo).

Personal meets political in Akinola Davies’s tender coming-of-age debut. Nigerian-British filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. has previously dabbled in commercials for luxury brands like Gucci, music videos for acclaimed artists like Samha, and the Sundance-winning short film Lizard. But with his subtle yet impressive debut feature film My Father’s Shadow, Davies tones down the fanciness and opts for a more personal, intimate approach. Shot on 16mm film with an ambient score by Duval Timothy and CJ Mirra, My Father’s Shadow offers us a vibrant and lively trip through Lagos. The city is recreated in the midst of 90s-era political turmoil, complete with traffic-heavy roads and box TVs blaring out the news for a promising election. But Davies ensures to capture the quieter moments of a father-son bond, framing his characters in serene spots like an abandoned amusement park and a beach where the dad can shed his tough-guy exterior and play a game of “Marco Polo” in the waves. Written by his brother Wale Davies, the debutant director digs back into his memories, having grown up during this turbulent era in Nigeria.

Instead of force-feeding local politics to his global audience, Davies excels in drawing us in on two young, dreamy-eyed, ever-bickering brothers and how they come of age in the shadow of their old man. Politics is very much present through this journey to Lagos, captured in chaotic, chuckle-worthy debates among bus passengers or restaurant customers. It’s also amusing to observe Sọpẹ́ Dìrísù’s Fola explaining “demo-crazy” to his boys or giving them a practical course in class studies as a troupe of polo ponies passes along, the father confessing he doesn’t understand the wanton hobbies of Nigeria’s elite. By actively blending these micro-observations with a larger backdrop of military-led massacres and underpaid working classes, My Father’s Shadow demands one's attention and empathy without ever manipulating any emotions. When the tears roll out for a dreamy finale, they feel organic and earned.

Surreal, dreamlike visuals capture a child’s perspective. From zooming in on an unexpectedly swift turtle and a line of industrious ants to drifting through blurry visions of traffic-heavy roads and the masses walking by, the visual language of My Father’s Shadow is one of surrealism. But such silent segues never seem distracting or abstract, rather helping us dive into the heads of the pre-teen protagonists and the way they perceive a city that’s balancing everyday monotony with generation-defining change. Jermaine Edwards deserves his flowers for his poetic cinematography, writing a love letter to Lagos. But a lot of the exposition is saved with some expressive range from the two young leads, on-screen and off-screen brothers Godwin Egbo and Chibuike Egbo. Their juvenile spats with each other add to the film’s lighter moments, but their muted, pent-up interactions with their father add new life to this familiar father-son bonding formula.

A Gangs of London star becomes “dad of the year”. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, the star of Gangs of London and underrated immigrant horror His House, also delivers the most multi-dimensional performance of his career in these moments of emotional masculinity. Even without shedding a tear, the Nigerian-British actor manages to weave a portrait of a man who struggles between being an ideal family man and a vulnerable loner. By the time his bickering sons bask in the rare moment of embracing their father, you can’t help but wish to enter the screen and break into a group hug.