Filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. left Nigeria at 13 and didn't return for 9 years. In this conversation, he shares what it's like to live between Nigeria and the UK, why he finally made a film about his father, and how creating My Father's Shadow became a healing journey for his entire family.
We talk about:
- Growing up between Lagos and London without your parents
- Building a film career with no connections
- Why Nigerian stories need to be told honestly
- The healing that comes from telling family stories
🎬 My Father's Shadow is in U.S. theaters now, support African storytelling: mubi.com/myfathersshadow
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:26 - Moving to the UK at 13 without parents
7:25 - "My mom was my best friend"
15:05 - Being one of few Black kids in rural England
16:31 - Why I didn't go back to Nigeria for 9 years
30:05 - Where is home? Nigeria, the UK, or both?
33:15 - How London taught me resilience
37:50 - Breaking into film with no connections
40:39 - Making My Father's Shadow with my brother
43:13 - The film we needed to heal as a family
45:46 - Why you should see this in theaters