My Father’s Shadow made history as the first Nigerian feature selected for the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered in May 2025. Directed by Akinola Davies Jr., the film later enjoyed major recognition at the AMVCA, winning awards including Best Movie, Best Director, Best Writing and Best Sound.
Despite its success, the film’s identity has sparked debate in Nigeria. Although the director, producer, cast and many crew members are Nigerian, much of the film’s funding and production support came from British and European institutions, leading to its representation of the United Kingdom in the Oscar race.
The controversy has renewed a wider conversation about the challenges facing African filmmakers who depend on foreign funding and distribution. For My Father’s Shadow, the debate is not simply about which country can claim the film, but whether Africa can build enough financing, production and distribution infrastructure for its filmmakers to tell African stories without depending heavily on foreign institutions.
