Akinola Davies Jr.’s My Father’s Shadow Sets September 21 Netflix Debut
Akinola Davies Jr.’s award-winning debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, is set to make its Netflix debut on Monday, September 21, 2026, extending the Nigerian-British drama’s journey from Cannes to a wider streaming audience.
The 2025 film, which runs for 94 minutes, was directed and co-written by Davies Jr. and tells a semi-autobiographical story set in Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis.
The story follows two young brothers who spend a day with their estranged father as they travel through Lagos, with their family reunion unfolding against political unrest that threatens their journey home.
The film stars Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as Folarin, the boys’ father, alongside Godwin Egbo and Chibuike Egbo, who play the two brothers.
My Father’s Shadow premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where it received the Caméra d’Or Special Distinction, marking a significant milestone for the Nigerian film.
Cannes describes the film as a semi-autobiographical tale unfolding over a single day in Lagos during the 1993 election crisis, with political tensions forming the backdrop to the relationship between the father and his sons.
The film subsequently earned further international recognition, including the 2026 BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.
Reflecting on the decision to make the story his feature debut, Davies Jr. said he wanted to create something connected to his family and memories.
“I was fortunate enough to make two shorts and realized that if I only ever got to make one feature film, I wanted it to be in service to my family, to our memories, as something that can be a cathartic time capsule for the past, present and future.”
The director also described the filmmaking environment he wanted to create for his collaborators as one built around trust and creative freedom.
“A place where my collaborators can experience trust and freedom of thought.”
Davies Jr. particularly praised Dìrísù’s contribution to the production, saying his performance helped him understand the character at a deeper level.
“Ṣọpẹ́, the lead actor, was magnificent, I learned so much about the psyche of a character through him and his portrayal.”
The film’s production combines Nigerian and British filmmaking resources, with the BFI, BBC Film, Element Pictures and Fatherland Productions among its production partners.
Its cinematography was handled by Jermaine Edwards, while Duval Timothy and CJ Mirra provided the music.
The film has also continued its theatrical and festival journey beyond Cannes, with screenings in international venues during 2026.
The BFI lists the production as a United Kingdom-Nigeria film, while its UK and US distribution is handled by MUBI.
The September 21 Netflix release will now give audiences beyond the film’s theatrical and festival circuit an opportunity to watch Davies Jr.’s first feature-length work.
For Davies Jr., the project represents more than a conventional debut, having grown from a personal family story into an internationally recognised film while retaining its focus on fatherhood, childhood, memory and the political uncertainty surrounding Lagos in 1993.
With its Netflix arrival confirmed for September 21, My Father’s Shadow is set to begin another phase of its journey, bringing its intimate story of a father and his two sons to streaming audiences.
