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DramaFamily Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard) Editor's Pick

My Father's Shadow

Directed by Akinola Davies Jr. · 2025

Quick Verdict

My Father's Shadow (2025) has a 85% Celluloid Score — our average across critic reviews, audience ratings, Metascore, Letterboxd, and IMDb. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

85%
Celluloid Score Recommended

Averaged from 5 sources

98% Critic Score
88% Audience
85 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4
7.4 IMDb /10
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Runtime
1h 33m

Is My Father's Shadow worth watching?

Yes — My Father's Shadow earns a 85% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

Critics Consensus

Critics have called this semi-autobiographical debut a quietly devastating breakthrough, praising Sope Dirisu's restrained lead performance and Akinola Davies Jr.'s ability to fold national upheaval into an intimate father-son story without ever feeling didactic.

Celluloid Critics Consensus

Critics (98%) were notably more enthusiastic than audiences (88%).

What is My Father's Shadow about?

Over one sweltering day in Lagos during the tense 1993 Nigerian election, two young brothers tag along with the estranged father they barely know as he chases down a debt across the city. Between an amusement park detour and a beach stop, small tender moments accumulate — even as the father hides a nosebleed and a secret that will reshape how his sons remember him.

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Critic Reviews

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