My Father’s Shadow – Film Review

Director – Akinola Davies
Writers – Akinola Davies, Wale Davies
Stars – Sope Dirisu, Godwin Egbo, Chibuike Marvelous Egbo

The film is set in 1993 in Nigeria. We meet the two boys, Aki (Godwin Egbo) and Remi (Chibuike Marvelous Egbo), as they idle on the porch of their house, playing and drawing. The children live in a small village outside Lagos and spend their days together. There is no sense that they are being looked after or supervised. Their father, Fola (Sope Dirisu), arrives home to their surprise. He has not been a major presence in their lives, as he works in Lagos. On a whim, their father decides to take them with him as he travels to Lagos for the day. This plunges the two wide-eyed innocents into a new world, as they experience the sights and sounds of the big city.

The backdrop for the film is the civil unrest in Nigeria at this time. There have been no elections for ten years, since the military coup in 1983. The people hope that the recent elections will kickstart Nigeria’s failing economy and get the country back on its feet again, but will the military give up its power?

The film is co-written and directed by Akinola Davies, a British-Nigerian filmmaker, writer, and visual artist. He grew up partially in Lagos (along with London and New York), so many of the images would reflect his own childhood. The film is produced by Ireland’s Element Pictures, who continue to add to their catalogue.

There are a couple of interesting elements to the cinematography. It was shot on a 16mm camera, and that gives it an authentic, grainy style. Also, the use of a hand-held camera puts the viewer amongst the movement and excitement of cramped bus rides, markets and bars of Lagos. It is a day when the children learn about their father, as he imparts life lessons and his own view of the world. If you’ve ever wondered what life is like in this African city, this is an immersive experience along with a coming-of-age tale.