Nigerian-British film makes history as Nigeria’s first Cannes selection and the UK’s official Oscar submission for 2026

A Nigerian-British film has made history as Nigeria’s first-ever official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, won a Caméra d’Or Special Mention, and has now been chosen as the United Kingdom’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards. “My Father’s Shadow,” the feature debut of director Akinola Davies Jr., stars real brothers Godwin Egbo and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo alongside Sope Dirisu, and is set on the day of Nigeria’s first post-coup election. The film explores themes of memory, fatherhood, and political transition, and has since been selected to open the New African Film Festival at the AFI Silver Theatre in Washington DC, which runs from 20 to 26 February 2026 and showcases 25 films from 18 countries.

Key points

• “My Father’s Shadow” is the first Nigerian film ever selected for the Cannes Film Festival official programme
• The film won a Caméra d’Or Special Mention at Cannes, one of the festival’s most prestigious early-career awards
• It has been selected as the United Kingdom’s official Oscar submission for the 2026 Academy Awards
• Director Akinola Davies Jr. is a Nigerian-British filmmaker making his feature debut
• The film opens the 2026 New African Film Festival at the AFI Silver Theatre in Washington DC
• The festival showcases 25 films from 18 countries across Africa and the global diaspora
• Other highlights include “The Eyes of Ghana” from two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot and “Cotton Queen,” the first narrative feature directed by a Sudanese woman

The film’s dual Nigerian and British identity reflects the increasingly transnational nature of African cinema, where stories rooted in African history and politics are being told for global audiences by filmmakers who straddle multiple cultural worlds. “My Father’s Shadow” joins a growing body of African diaspora films that are competing at the highest levels of international cinema, continuing the momentum generated by recent Nollywood and African-diaspora productions that have broken through at major festivals and streaming platforms worldwide.

Why it matters: African cinema is no longer a niche category at international film festivals. Nigeria’s first Cannes selection, winning a special distinction and earning an Oscar submission from the United Kingdom, signals that stories from the continent, told on their own terms, are now competing at the very summit of global filmmaking.

Source: Variety | AFI Silver Theatre