Cinema has long served as a vessel for the "what if," but for director Akinola Davies Jr., it is a tool for the architecture of memory. In his debut feature, *My Father’s Shadow*, Davies Jr. attempts to bridge a fundamental void: the father he never truly knew. Set in Nigeria during the 1990s, the film operates as a speculative day-in-the-life, blending the specific textures of a bygone era with the internal longing of a son seeking a connection that exists only on screen.
The film’s power lies in its atmospheric recreation of the director's childhood. Rather than a rigid historical document, Davies Jr. leans into the "hazy" quality of recollection, using the aesthetics of the 1990s to ground a story that is essentially a dream. This approach transforms the Nigerian landscape of his youth into a character itself—a vibrant, complex backdrop for an intimate family portrait that was never painted in real time.
Beyond the personal narrative, the production highlights Davies Jr.’s specific directorial methods, particularly in his work with non-professional actors. To achieve the film's emotional resonance, he guided two young children through their first-ever screen performances. By eschewing traditional acting techniques in favor of more organic, experimental interactions, Davies Jr. managed to capture a sense of authenticity that anchors the film’s more ethereal, imagined moments.
With reporting from MUBI Notebook.
Source · MUBI Notebook
