8.3
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Drama • 2025 • 93 min
My Father's Shadow (2025)
My Father's Shadow (2025)
Overview
My Father's Shadow is a coming-of-age drama set in 1993 Nigeria, where two young brothers reunite with their estranged father for a trip from the countryside to Lagos amid the presidential election. Directed by Akinola Davies Jr. in his feature debut, co-written with Wale Davies, and loosely drawn from personal experiences. Sope Dirisu stars as the father Folarin, with Chibuike Marvellous Egbo as Remi and Godwin Chiemerie Egbo as Akin.
Starring Cast
Sope Dirisu • Efon Wini
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Family Values: Leans Traditional
Christianity: Positive
Viewer Rating
8.3
Overview
My Father's Shadow is a coming-of-age drama set in 1993 Nigeria, where two young brothers reunite with their estranged father for a trip from the countryside to Lagos amid the presidential election. Directed by Akinola Davies Jr. in his feature debut, co-written with Wale Davies, and loosely drawn from personal experiences. Sope Dirisu stars as the father Folarin, with Chibuike Marvellous Egbo as Remi and Godwin Chiemerie Egbo as Akin.
Starring Cast
Sope Dirisu • Efon Wini
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Primary
Political: Leans Left
Confidence: High
The film's backdrop of Nigeria's 1993 election crisis highlights military rule's disruptions to family life and endorses pro-democracy efforts, subtly aligning with anti-authoritarian progressive values through the father's support for electoral integrity.
Diversity: Moderate
Confidence: High
The movie employs an all-Black Nigerian cast to authentically depict a family navigating daily life and political unrest. It emphasizes positive portrayals of paternal and fraternal relationships without centering critiques of traditional identities.
Secondary
Family Values: Leans Traditional
Confidence: High
The film depicts an estranged father's reconnection with his sons through protective guidance and shared family histories, affirming the value of paternal sacrifice and enduring blood ties amid external pressures.
Christianity: Positive
Confidence: High
The family's Christian beliefs integrate seamlessly with the narrative's magical realism, emphasizing themes of sacrifice and prayer in the context of paternal absence and political turmoil.
LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: Medium
The film features no LGBTQ+ characters or themes, focusing instead on family dynamics and political unrest.
Trans: N/A
Confidence: Medium
No transgender characters or themes feature in the film. The narrative explores a father-son relationship during Nigeria's 1993 election crisis, emphasizing unspoken family dynamics and urban adventure absent of trans elements.
Female Combat: N/R
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High
My Father's Shadow presents an original screenplay featuring a fictional Nigerian family during the 1993 election crisis, with no adaptations, prior canon, or historical figures that involve gender alterations in portrayals.
Race Swap: No
Confidence: High
The film presents original fictional characters set in 1993 Nigeria, portrayed by Black actors aligning with the story's cultural context, without any adaptations, prior canon, or historical figures that would enable a race swap.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.3
7.4
Critic Ratings
9.8
8.5
More Like This
Not Rated
10.0
Wèrè
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Not Rated
Progressive
8.4
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
(2025)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
Not Rated
6.9
Ambivalent
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Not Rated
Leans Progressive
7.4
Once We Were Us
(2025)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
7.7
Rebel Ridge
(2024)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
Progressive
7.2
Dead Man's Wire
(2026)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
6.6
Moxie
(2021)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Positive
Not Rated
7.0
Blush
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Not Rated
Not Rated
7.4
Dreams
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Not Rated
Not Rated
8.1
Young Hearts
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Not Rated
Leans Progressive
6.9
Am I OK?
(2024)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Not Rated
LGBTQ: Positive
Center
8.0
Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Beginning of a New Era
(2024)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
7.8
Big World
(2024)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
Leans Progressive
6.6
Respect
(2021)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Not Rated
8.0
Drawing Closer
(2024)
Political: Center
Diversity: Not Rated
Progressive
7.4
40 Acres
(2025)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
Female Combat: Yes
Not Rated
8.4
Regarding Us
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Not Rated
Not Rated
7.8
Memories of a Burning Body
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Progressive
8.2
First Cow
(2020)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Positive
Leans Progressive
7.5
Supernova
(2020)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Positive