Nigerian brothers Akinola Davies Jr. and Wale Davies have won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for their film My Father’s Shadow, marking a historic moment for Nigerian cinema on the global stage.
The film, co-written by the siblings, serves as a tender homage to their late father, set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s 1993 political crisis. Wale Davies is also known as one-half of the acclaimed music duo Show Dem Camp.
My Father’s Shadow has enjoyed an extraordinary awards run. It made history as the first Nigerian feature ever selected for the Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a Caméra d’Or Special Mention. Akinola Davies Jr. previously won Best Director at the 2025 British Independent Film Awards.
The film was chosen as the UK’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards and secured wins at the Gotham Awards, including Breakthrough Director for Akinola Davies Jr. and Outstanding Lead Performance for Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù.
The BAFTA win cements the Davies brothers’ place among Britain and Nigeria’s most celebrated filmmakers.
