In a landmark victory for diaspora cinema, My Father’s Shadow has won the award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer at the 79th British Academy Film Awards.
The film is a deeply personal collaboration between Nigerian-British filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr and his brother, Wale Davies — known to many as Tec from the rap duo Show Dem Camp. Their win at London’s Royal Festival Hall signals a new era: diaspora narratives are no longer at the fringes of British cinema — but at the forefront.
Against the setting of the annulled presidential elections of 1993 in Nigeria, *My Father’s Shadow* delves into the politics of unrest, economic hardship, and intergenerational conflict through the prism of family. British-Nigerian actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù gives a moving performance as a struggling father trying to make ends meet while raising two sons. What ensues is both a political thriller and a reflection on fatherhood, identity, and memory, all of which are deeply personal to the diaspora experience.
The movie first premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, marking an early milestone on its global journey. It opened in Nigerian theaters in September 2025 before making its UK and Ireland debut in February, gathering momentum that culminated in its BAFTA victory.
For many within the global Nigerian diaspora, this award marks more than a professional achievement. It symbolizes the increasing power of the diaspora creative, who is telling complex, true stories that straddle home and away – stories that are grounded in history but informed by migration, hybridity, and belonging.
My Father’s Shadow is more than a filmmaking success; it is a cultural touchstone that proves the diaspora continues to redefine global storytelling on its own terms.
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