Akinola Davies Jr.’s acclaimed debut feature film, My Father’s Shadow, has officially crossed $1.1 million in publicly tracked worldwide box office earnings. The remarkable financial milestone, identified in a distribution registry marks a rare achievement for an institutionally backed West African feature playing across international specialty cinemas.
Public tracking platforms, including Box Office Mojo and The Numbers, show that the Cannes-winning film had generated over $1.1 million in global ticket sales by late July 2026. This total reflects strong theatrical runs across Europe and North America, proving that original, deeply personal African cinema can capture passionate audiences on the global stage.
deeply personal African cinema can capture passionate audiences on the global stage.
European Audiences Lead the International Box Office Surge
European art-house specialty markets have served as the main engine driving the film’s international box office success, with France and the United Kingdom standing out as the top-performing overseas territories.
In France, where the film was localized for domestic audiences under the title Un jour avec mon père, it debuted across 96 cinema locations on March 25, 2026. The feature pulled in over 30,300 admissions during its opening week alone. France quickly became the movie’s single largest international market, contributing $515,224 to the cumulative box office total.
The United Kingdom and Ireland delivered the second-largest international contribution. Distributed by MUBI following its early festival acquisition, the drama opened in early February 2026 with £58,452, instantly topping that week’s limited-release chart. Over its extended run, the UK market generated $438,645 in cumulative ticket sales.
Industry comparisons highlight that My Father’s Shadow has outpaced several high-profile post-pandemic African festival titles in international specialty theaters, including Goodbye Julia, Dahomey, and Black Tea.
A Moving Story of Family, Memory, and 1993 Lagos
Set against the intense political turmoil surrounding the 1993 presidential election in Nigeria, My Father’s Shadow tells a poignant, character-driven story centered on two young brothers navigating Lagos alongside their father.
Starring BAFTA nominee Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù alongside young breakout actors Godwin Chiemerie Egbo and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo, the drama explores deep themes of fatherhood, childhood memories, resilience, and family bonds. Co-written by brothers Akinola Davies Jr. and Wale Davies, the screenplay draws on personal family experiences to capture a tender portrait of fatherly love during a historical turning point in modern Nigerian history.
The film made history in May 2025 when it premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the very first Nigerian title selected for the official Cannes lineup. It went on to earn a Special Mention for the prestigious Caméra d’Or, followed by a dominant sweep at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) and winning the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut.
Local Receipts and Global Streaming Platforms
While international box office databases cover overseas theaters, the reported $1.1 million total represents only a portion of the film’s full financial reach, as Nigerian theatrical earnings are tracked separately.
In its home country of Nigeria, My Father’s Shadow was released in theaters by FilmOne Entertainment in late 2025, generating over 25.7 million naira during its initial run through the end of December. The movie returned to Nigerian cinemas in June 2026 for a special limited re-release to celebrate Democracy Day and honor its impressive awards run.
For film lovers who missed its theatrical run, the movie is available to stream on MUBI across multiple regions, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Spain, and Germany.
The remarkable success of My Father’s Shadow establishes a new milestone for West African filmmakers, demonstrating that authentic local stories can win major awards, connect with global film lovers, and perform at the international box office.
