On 21 September 2026, Akinola Davies Jr.’s acclaimed debut feature My Father’s Shadow will begin streaming on Netflix in Africa.
The film is a semi-autobiographical tale set over the course of a single day in the Nigerian capital Lagos during the 1993 Nigeria election crisis. The story follows a father, estranged from his two young sons, as they travel through the massive city while political unrest threatens their journey home.
Starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (Slow Horses, Gangs of London) and brothers Chibuike and Godwin Egbo, the directorial debut of Akinola Davies Jr. was written by Wale Davies and co-written by Akinola Davies Jr. The film was also produced by Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions and Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures.
My Father’s Shadow was the most awarded film at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards with five awards. It was first released theatrically in Nigeria in September 2025 and then re-released in June 2026. The film has since been screened in Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa and Rwanda.
Shot entirely in Lagos and Ibadan on 16mm film, the internationally acclaimed film has gone on to win a BAFTA, two Gotham Awards, a BIFA, and festival jury prizes around the world. It was also the UK’s official submission for Best International Feature at the 2026 Oscars.
Producer Funmbi Ogunbanwo p.g.a. said: “We made My Father’s Shadow from a very specific place and time, but the response to the film has shown us how deeply these stories can travel. We’re incredibly excited for audiences in Africa to now experience the film on Netflix and to see our Nigerian story reach even more homes across the continent.”
