Akinola ‘Akin’ (Godwin Egbo) and Olaremi ‘Remi’ (Chibuike Marvellous Egbo) walk on a dirt road with their father, Folarin. Playing Folarin is Sope Dirisu, who has plans to be in Lagos, Nigeria, cars passing them by, ignoring them. One car eventually lets them hitch a ride and this ‘work trip’ has some fun pit stops. They even stop by a beach to swim and go to a few eateries. But the boys are starting to see the reasons why Folarin works in Lagos instead of where they live. Akin is also starting to notice that something is off with Folarin, specifically when it comes to his energy. All of this is happening in 1993, when their country is going through a transitional process, which includes a ‘fair’ election.

In telling this story, co-writer and director Akinola Davies Jr. captures characters with a versatility, sometimes ghost-like, sometimes real. When the film begins, Akin and Remi behave like normal boys with life’s surprises forcing their independence. Almost ten minutes in, Folarin appears seemingly out of place, like the boys find his absence as the norm. Eventually though, the camera closes up on Folarin as a person in flesh, reassuring his boys that he’s fine. The film, then, occasionally loops to certain moments, as if it’s aware that it’s showing flickers of certain memories. In playing with form, My Father’s Shadow reminds its viewers of the ephemeral, of figures and people eventually disappearing.

My Father’s Shadow shows that Folarin is aware of this impermanence, life finding its way to sever familial ties. Maybe it’s the thing or two that he’s hiding from his boys or maybe it’s Folarin sensing Akin’s anger that the latter verbalizes. The film shows him doing his best to combat that by talking to them like adults, showing them some vulnerability. It makes a mostly good decision by focusing on the personal but this is, of course, a film about world politics. This means that other moments will feel didactic, as Folarin talks to others about his opinions about the polls. But then again, what’s separating that dialogue with real life conversations with family about today’s politics?

My Father’s Shadow, on the surface, seems like any coming of age film where children see their parents’ flaws. Well, mostly Folarin, because we mostly know about his wife Bola (Efon Wini) through what they say about her. But it rises above genre conventions with its approach to character behaviour and the way it paces storytelling. During one scene, Folarin goes to the bathroom and Remi, probably suspecting something, follows him there. Of course, it’s going to show something that it plants minutes beforehand with server Abike (Uzoamaka Power). But again, there’s a directness as the film goes forward with that revelation, with the actors not delaying things. And even as things happen one after the other, the film doesn’t feel rushed, ninety minutes flying like it should.

Canadian cinephiles can watch My Father’s Shadow in select theatres.