EXCLUSIVE: Gangs Of London star Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is main solid in Akkinola Davies Jr’s anticipated function debut My Father’s Shadow, which is being produced by Poor Things and Normal People outfit Element Pictures.
Davies Jr and his movie — which is in post-production — have been flagged to us as ones to look at. They have clearly attracted good companions. Distributor Mubi has pre-bought all rights in North America, UK, Ireland, and Turkey, and is planning a theatrical launch in North America and UK. The Match Factory is dealing with world gross sales and can start early talks at EFM this week.
The movie is predicated on a script by brothers Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr, whose earlier collaboration on Lizard received the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2021 and garnered a BAFTA nomination for Best British Short Film.
Their new collaboration has a synopsis as follows: “Two kid brothers Remi and Akin get to spend a gift of a day with their estranged father Folarin. They go on a voyage into Lagos observing the colossal city for the first time and the hoops their father must deal with to provide. All this is happening in the backdrop of a huge 1993 presidential election result which calls into question his ability to get them home.”
My Father’s Shadow is an Element Pictures manufacturing in affiliation with Crybaby and Fatherland Productions. It was developed by BBC Film, which beforehand backed Lizard, and it was co-financed by BBC Film and the BFI.
Akinola Davies Jnr informed us in the present day: “Bringing My Fathers Shadow to life in my home country, a story which is so personal to me and my brother Wale, who wrote the script, but one that I also hope will resonate with many, has been beyond a dream. Working with the powerhouse that is Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, who brought such magic to his character and has taken the script to a whole new level, has been an incredible experience. All of which has been made possible through the unwavering support of Eva Yates at BBC Film, Ama Ampadu at the BFI and my producers Rachel Dargavel at Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo at Fatherland Productions. I’m excited to share with you the part of my home and the city I grew up in that is rarely seen on screen.”
Producers are Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions, who additionally serviced manufacturing on the bottom. Executive producers are Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, Eva Yates for BBC Film and Ama Amapadu for the BFI. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jnr additionally act as government producers.
Dìrísù’s is coming off Apple function The Gorge and Slow Horses season three. Upcoming he has season three of hit present Gangs of London, and performances of Rhinoceros on the Almeida Theater.
Dìrísù is repped by Markham, Froggatt and Irwin within the UK, and within the U.S. is WME. Davies is repped by Lark Management within the UK.