Elevating Nollywood At Cannes, ‘My Father’s Shadow’ marks a historic milestone with Nigeria’s first Caméra d’Or mention, spotlighting authentic Nigerian cinema
For the first time in a very long time, Nollywood became the cynosure of all eyes at the Cannes Film Festival, all thanks to the mind-blowing and electrifying movie – ‘My Father’s Shadow.’
Also read: My Father’s Shadow, Makemation And Osamede Are Nollywood’s Standout Flicks of Q2 2025
After decades of being dismissed for its prolific yet low-budget crowd-pleasers, Nollywood, Nigeria’s bustling film industry based in Lagos, producing up to five films daily, is finally enjoying a moment in the global spotlight.
At the 78th Cannes Film Festival, My Father’s Shadow by UK-Based Nigerian director, Akinola Davies Jr. earned Nigeria its first-ever Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or (Golden Camera), awarded for the best debut feature.
Presented in the Un Certain Regard section, the semi-autobiographical film, based on a screenplay by Davies’ brother, Wale, follows a father and his two children during Lagos’ turbulent political unrest in 1993, a year marked by the annulled presidential election and violent crackdowns.
Interestingly, Caméra d’Or Jury President Alice Rohrwacher told the press the jury wanted to “underscore the biodiversity of cinema” and was struck by the film’s “phantasmagorical, ghost-like” exploration of children navigating memory and the invisible.
“The film came back time and again, a bit like a ghost in our discussions, and it talks about the relationship between children and what is invisible… Children in My Father’s Shadow travel through the invisible and what is mysterious in life,” Rohrwacher said.
Also, reacting to the giant stride achieved by ‘My Father’s Shadow,’ Davies Jr. Jr.stated that he’s excited to be an ambassador for arthouse film in Nigeria and even more excited for our cast and crew, whose talent and hard work truly deserve this spotlight.
“This is a testament to everyone dedicated to telling authentic Nigerian stories: from crews to the countless technicians who power our film industry.
“It honors all those—past, present, and future—who laid the foundation for Nigerian cinema. I’m excited to be an ambassador for arthouse film in Nigeria, and even more excited for our cast and crew, whose talent and hard work truly deserve this spotlight.”
“My Father’s Shadow” is produced by Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions.
Fatherland’s CEO Ogunbanwo, “It’s an incredible feeling to see our fully Nigerian story—rooted in Wale and Akin’s experience of losing their father at a young age—come to life on a world stage.
“We wove in Yoruba, Pidgin, and familiar street names from Lagos and Ibadan, capturing the essence of our home. I feel both excitement and a weight of responsibility, representing independent Nigerian filmmakers who create against the odds. We hope people who watch this film will discover who we are as a people, understand where we come from, and see that this is only the start of how far our stories can go.”
Also read: African Music Summit NAFEST Partnership Set to Transform South-East Music Scene
With the likes of “My Father’s Shadow” and other recent festival titles like “Mami Wata,” the first Nigerian film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, there are signs that Nigeria’s film industry is diversifying.
