Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city’s magnitude and their father’s daily struggles as political unrest threatens their journey home.
‘My Father’s Shadow’ is a Nigerian set drama about the relationship between two young boys and their mostly absentee father, as seen through the prism of a day spent together in Lagos during the aftermath of the 1993 elections, which were pivotal for the country. It is directed by Akinola Davies Jr., who co-wrote the film with his brother Wale Davies, and it is based on their experiences with their own father. This was the UK’s entry for ‘Best International Feature Film’ at this year’s Oscars, though it didn’t get nominated – admittedly a very strong selection this year with many good films left off the final nominations list.
The film begins in the Nigerian countryside, where two young brothers Aki and Remi (Godwin Chiemerie Egbo and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo) are playing when they discover their father Folarin (Sope Dirisu) has came home unexpectedly. He’d been working away in Lagos and it’s clear the boys haven’t spent much time with him, so the chance to go on a trip with him back to the then capital is a great chance to spend more time with him. On the journey to Lagos and over the course of the day, the boys learn more about who their father is, who he spends time with and what he does for work, while Folarin gets the chance to spend some quality time with them.
Against this story of family bonding is a backdrop of discomfort stemming from a persistent military presence and a sense that a tentative hope that a turn to democracy may be on the cards for Africa’s largest nation. The personal and the political blend with each other effortlessly, with Sope Dirisu delivering an impressive performance as the complicated Folarin, and some sequences that will hit hard for anyone with children (it hit hard enough for me, and I don’t!). ‘My Father’s Shadow’ is a strong debut feature from Davies Jr. and a moving tale of a fleeting family reunion at a time of great change and turbulence in their country.
Rating: 4/5
Directed By: Akinola Davies Jr.
Starring: Sope Dirisu, Godwin Chiemerie Egbo and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo
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