Nigeria’s first film in Cannes lineup explores masculinity, family dynamics

With My Father's Shadow, Nigeria's first film in the Cannes Film Festival's official selection, director Akinola Davies Jnr wanted to create something deeply personal, he told Reuters.

The film had to mean "something to me, to him (my brother), to my family, to our community, I guess to masculinity in general," Davies said about the film competing in the second-tier Un Certain Regard category that he wrote with his brother, Wale.

Davies' first feature takes place over one day in 1993, when two brothers' absent father, played by Gangs of London star Sope Dirisu, shows up unannounced and takes them to Lagos.

Their father is there to try to recoup some money owed from his employer as the country is on edge after the outcome of the first elections in a decade under military rule is annulled.

Newcomers and real-life brothers Godwin Egbo, 11 at the time of filming, and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo, then eight, play the young siblings in the semi-autobiographical film that's been picked up for distribution by streamer Mubi.

"Nigeria was going through a time where there was a lot of enthusiasm for this idea of a statesman who was going to lead us to potential," similar to the boys' relationship with their father, said Davies, who was raised between London and Lagos.

"Both things being so sort of strong and dominant, but equally super vulnerable and super fragile, I think the tension sort of played off each other really well," said Davies.

Dirisu, a British actor born to Nigerian parents, said the film made him take a deeper look at what it means to be a father and how Nigeria fits into his personal identity.

"There were a lot of things I had to interrogate for the role, but it was exciting," the actor told Reuters.

Davies' film is one of several strong contenders competing in Un Certain Regard this year, with actors Harrison Dickinson, Kristen Stewart and Scarlett Johansson also in the race with their directorial debuts.

The Guardian gave My Father's Shadow four out of five stars, calling it a "subtle and intelligent coming-of-age tale" while industry publication IndieWire gave the "beautifully remembered drama" the grade of B+.

Davies hopes the movie's inclusion at Cannes will pave the way for more African films at the festival.

"African stories are out there," he told Reuters, but they need to be able to get to festivals such as Cannes to be seen.

When there's willingness from other areas of the world, and points of access, however, the films can come through, he said.

Reuters