A Historic BAFTA Win for Akinola & Wale Davies

Another powerful moment for British-Nigerian storytelling on the global stage.

Congratulations to Akinola Davies Jr. and Wale Davies on their BAFTA win for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for My Father’s Shadow, presented by the BAFTA.

The recognition caps off an impressive awards run for the film.

At the Cannes Film Festival, the film made history as the first Nigerian feature selected in competition and received a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or.

At the Gotham Independent Film Awards, Akinola Davies Jr. was honoured with Breakthrough Director, while the film also received recognition for its performances.

The film further secured major wins at the British Independent Film Awards, including Best Director.

It was also selected as the UK’s official submission for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards, signalling its global impact.

From Lagos to Cannes to London, My Father’s Shadow has moved with quiet authority, a restrained, deeply human story about fatherhood, memory and political inheritance that has resonated across borders.

Set in Lagos during the tense aftermath of Nigeria’s 1993 presidential election, the film follows two young brothers spending a day with their estranged father. Against the backdrop of political unrest and uncertainty, what unfolds is an intimate exploration of masculinity, fatherhood, absence, and memory.

At its heart, it’s about:

The complexity of father–son relationships

Political instability seen through a child’s eyes

Identity, inheritance and emotional distance

The quiet, unspoken tensions within Black families

It’s restrained, poetic, and deeply human - the kind of storytelling that doesn’t shout, but lingers.

That BAFTA recognition? Well earned.

It speaks to the power of perspective. To the importance of telling our stories with nuance. And to the fact that when authenticity leads, excellence follows.

A win for them.

A win for the culture.

A win for the next generation watching closely.