Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù Champions Nigerian Cinema Beyond Western Validation
When Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù becomes animated during conversation, his speaking voice – ordinarily a polished inner-city London dialect – naturally shifts into a smooth Nigerian accent. His shoulders ease, his eyes smile, and he appears completely relaxed. This transformation reveals the very essence of Dìrísù's personhood as a Nigerian man, a core identity that profoundly influenced his decision to take on his latest cinematic project.
A Personal Journey to Lagos
The opportunity to nurture his Nigerian identity was a significant factor in Dìrísù's decision to star in and executive produce My Father's Shadow, the Bafta-nominated film shot entirely on location in Lagos over eight weeks in early 2024. "I'd have said yes if the script was half as good," Dìrísù confesses. "When I first received it, I was excited simply to be working in Nigeria. It was crucial for me not only to work there but to experience the country independently as an adult. Getting to visit my grandmother more than once a year was an added bonus. Few actors have the privilege to tell a story as tender, beautiful, and considered as this one."
Exploring Fatherhood and Family Dynamics
Set during Nigeria's 1993 election crisis, My Father's Shadow draws inspiration from the relationship its creators – brothers Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr – shared with their late father, who died from epilepsy when they were infants. The film follows a father, Fọlárìn, and his young sons as they navigate a day in Lagos while political unrest threatens their journey home to their village.
"On the surface, the movie explores a father reconnecting with his sons," Dìrísù explains. "But it's also a fantastical, pseudo-biographical work about grief, loss, family, fatherhood, masculinity, connection, and absence." Although the film reflects the Davies brothers' paternal relationship, they encouraged Dìrísù not to recreate a specific memory but to draw from his own experiences with his father.
"It's in the way he calls my name, his posture, facial expressions, and mannerisms," Dìrísù reflects. "There was an unintentional celebration of my relationship with him. That tenderness I learned from him – and yes, the disciplinarian aspects too. Ultimately, we are our parents' children. Much of him lives within me, positively influencing my artistry and life disposition. I'm profoundly grateful to have had him as a father."
Bridging Cultural and Linguistic Gaps
Dìrísù experienced significant insecurity about his performance, stemming from portraying a man deeply rooted in Nigerian identity while being what he describes as "a Nigerian of the diaspora." Though raised in a Nigerian household, he has never lived in Nigeria, creating a distance he actively works to bridge. A crucial part of this journey involved taking approximately thirty hours of Yoruba lessons to prepare for his role.
"Place me in a Yoruba-only speaking area, and I wouldn't perish or starve, but I certainly wouldn't run for office," he jokes. "Yet this linguistic skill is the most valuable gift from this experience. If I could retain one skill from my career, it wouldn't be jiujitsu, kung fu, or boxing – it would be the ability to communicate with my ancestors."
Challenging Western Film Validation
While My Father's Shadow made history as the first Nigerian film selected for Cannes' Official Selection – premiering in the Un Certain Regard section and winning Special Mention for the Camera D'Or prize – Dìrísù emphasizes that other Nigerian films have previously screened at the festival. "There's a wilful amnesia regarding the quality of Nigerian cinema," he observes. "I don't want to diminish praise for wonderfully achieved Nigerian films that haven't received Western celebration. Perhaps they weren't considered for the Grand Prix or other Cannes prizes, but they were present."
Dìrísù remains ambivalent about such accolades, viewing them less as legitimate celebrations and more as indictments of an industry historically impenetrable to Black talent telling Black stories. He's particularly mindful of resisting excessive Western influence on his understanding of success. "It reminds me of director Bong Joon-ho winning the Best Film Oscar for Parasite and stating, 'This is still basically just a local awards ceremony.' That defiance – essentially saying if the West doesn't deem something good, that doesn't invalidate its quality – resonates deeply."
Universal Storytelling Transcending Barriers
Dìrísù has cherished observing global audience responses to screenings following the Cannes premiere. "I recall a influential teacher stating that any performance should be accessible to someone who's deaf, doesn't speak the language, or is blind. Storytelling quality should transcend traditional barriers. Our film, presented in Yoruba, pidgin, and English with subtitles, touches viewers in places like Korea. That's a truly wonderful experience."
Few films, Dìrísù suggests, serve as more profound love letters to their people and places than My Father's Shadow. The film introduces strangers who feel warmly familiar and captures landscapes that evoke longing for unvisited locations – functioning as both representation and invitation. Director Akinola Davies Jr has frequently discussed how the Lagos of his 80s and 90s childhood is disappearing over time.
"Akinola wanted to capture and honour the mundanities of that life," Dìrísù recalls. "There are moments where nothing dramatic occurs, yet they're engaging and texturally accurate to that period and place. If we don't focus our lens on these elements, we fail to cherish them. They risk erasure and forgetting. Akinola aimed to crystallise the Nigeria of his childhood through this film, and I believe he has succeeded remarkably."
My Father's Shadow arrives in UK cinemas from 6 February, distributed by MUBI, offering audiences a poignant exploration of family, heritage, and cultural preservation.
