Akinola Davies Jr’s semi-autobiographical film My Father’s Shadow, has been praised by Alice Rohrwacher, President of the Caméra d’Or Jury at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, as the film earned a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or (Golden Camera).
The film, presented in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes festival, follows a father and his two children navigating the turbulent political landscape of Lagos in 1993.
Alice Rohrwacher praised the film, as she told the press that the jury wanted to “underscore the biodiversity of cinema and was struck by the film’s phantasmagorical, ghost-like exploration of children navigating memory and the invisible”.
“The film came back time and again, a bit like a ghost in our discussions, and it talks about the relationship between children and what is invisible,” she added. “Children in My Father’s Shadow travel through the invisible and what is mysterious in life.”
Davies, speaking after the awards ceremony, expressed his gratitude, calling the honour “a dream come true” for his cast and crew. He attributed the film’s success to the collaborative efforts of his team, highlighting the wealth of talent in Nigeria’s film industry. “I think Nigeria has got a beautiful, dynamic film industry,” he said. “There’s just loads of fantastic talent across the board, and I guess this is another representation of the power of collaboration.”
While the top Caméra d’Or prize went to Iraq’s “The President’s Cake” by Hassan Hadi, the special mention marks a significant achievement for Nigeria, as it became the first time Nigeria will be competing in the Une Certain Regard section of the Cannes.
Elsewhere, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, also praised My Father’s Shadow, citing it as a deeply moving and emotional one. “Literally, at the end of the film, I cried,” she said. “It was such a reflection of who I was.”
Davies Jr. co-wrote My Father’s Shadow with his brother Wale Davies. The film was produced by Element Pictures in collaboration with Fatherland Productions, BBC Film, and the British Film Institute.
The film stars Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Chibuike Marvellous Egbo, Godwin Egbo, Akerele David, Owa Orire Jeremiah, Winifred Efon, Olarotimi Fakunle, Greg “Teddy Bear” Ojefua, Tosin Adeyemi, Marta Ehinome, Ayo Lijadu, and Patrick Diabuah.
