The BIFA win adds to the film’s momentum ahead of the Academy’s International Feature shortlist announcement on December 16th.
By Joseph Jonathan
Akinola Davies Jr. has been awarded Best Director at the 28th British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) for his debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, adding yet another major accolade to what has become a remarkable international streak for the Nigerian-British filmmaker and his Lagos-set drama.
The film, which led the BIFA nominations with 12, was the standout African title in contention this year. Although it secured only one win on the night, Davies Jr.’s Best Director victory underscores the growing global recognition for My Father’s Shadow, a deeply personal story that has resonated far beyond its Nigerian setting. The film is also the United Kingdom’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
Co-written with his brother, Wale Davies (Tec of Show Dem Camp), My Father’s Shadow takes place on June 23rd, 1993, the day the Nigerian government annulled the June 12th presidential election. The film follows two young boys navigating Lagos with their estranged father (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù), weaving themes of family fracture, identity, migration, and political uncertainty into a single day’s journey.
Supported by the BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund, the feature expands on a short film initially penned by producer Wale Davies before being developed into a full-length project with Akinola.
Davies Jr.’s BIFA win continues what has been an exceptional awards run. On November 15th, the film received the Rampa Award at the Seville European Film Festival, recognising its artistic achievement within global arthouse cinema. Two weeks later, on December 1st, Davies Jr. won Breakthrough Director at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, where lead actor, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, also earned Outstanding Lead Performance, a significant milestone for both artist and film on the American awards circuit.
Beyond Davies Jr.’s win, the 2025 BIFAs saw Harry Lighton’s Pillion take Best British Independent Film and Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Iraq War drama, Warfare, sweep the craft categories. Meanwhile, I Swear collected Best Lead Performance and Best Casting. But My Father’s Shadow remained the most internationally rooted and politically resonant title among the nominees, and the only Nigerian story honoured on the night.
With Oscar season approaching, My Father’s Shadow enters the race strengthened by a growing list of festival and industry endorsements across Europe and the United States. Its recent wins signal widening visibility for contemporary African cinema within the global awards ecosystem — and mark a defining moment for Davies Jr., whose filmmaking voice continues to attract critical acclaim on multiple continents.
The BIFA win adds to the film’s momentum ahead of the Academy’s International Feature shortlist announcement on December 16th.