

Q&A | BAFTA Outstanding Debut Winner | Ritzy Cinema 2026
Budget
Not disclosed
Revenue
Not disclosed
Studios
Where to watch(NG)
JustWatch ↗Stream
3 reviews · 2 fans
2 fresh · 0 rotten
Fathers and sons often have complicated relationships. In many instances, boys often don’t know their dads as well as they would like (or at all), leaving them with many unanswered questions about these individuals whom they dutifully but frequently inexplicably call “parent.” So it’s entirely understandable how the curious would jump at the chance to get to know their fathers better when such opportunities present themselves. So it is for two young boys, Aki (Godwin Egbo) and Remi (Chibuike Marvellous Egbo), who are invited to join their father, Folarin (aka Kapo) (Sope Dirisu), on a day trip from their remote village to Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, where their dad works. As a diligent head of the household, he often spends months at a time in Lagos without seeing his sons or their mother, Bola (Efon Wini), a noble but significant practice that leaves a sizable gap in the character of the family’s home life. Because of Folarin’s many extended absences, his sons know little about him other than his apparently profound love for them and his unwavering commitment to supporting them and his wife. But there’s more to this lack of awareness than just his physical absence; Folarin is, by his nature, a man of mystery in many ways, and Aki and Remi know virtually nothing about this aspect of their father’s life. This includes his past in Lagos, his courtship and relationship with Bol…
“Everything is sacrifice. You just have to pray you don’t sacrifice the wrong thing” That's a mantra that most parents probably consider as they try to do their best for their family, and it's certainly that which drives "Fola" (Sope Dirisu). He and his wife have two young sons, but life for them is hard. He has missed much of their upbringing as he had to leave school early and is so working, unskilled, in Lagos whilst their mother has something slightly more convenient nearer their home. The effects of this are proving quite profound on the boys, but on a spontaneous trip with their dad to the city we discover that he, too, is acutely aware of the impact on the choices - if choices they actually are - that he is having to make to keep his family safe and provided for. It's election time in Nigeria, and as the boys tour the city they encounter some of the optimism and the toxicity that engenders as the announcement of the result draws nearer. What really works here is the simplicity of the whole thing. The two lads - "Remi" (Chibuike Marvellous Egbo) and "Akin" (Godwin Egbo) are young enough to be engaged by the city and it's fun fair, but also old enough to grasp some of the sacrifices being made by their parents and of the seriousness of a political situation that looks like it will prove more perilous for their journey home than it was coming in. Like the eager anticipation…
Title
My Father's Shadow
Released
Sep 19, 2025
Rated
NR
Region of Origin
Nigeria, United Kingdom
Original Audio
English
Runtime
1h 33m
Status
Released
Studios
BBC Film, BFI