Nollywood Debuts Official Selection Cannes Film Festival

For the first time in nearly 80 years, a Nigerian film, "My Father’s Shadow" directed by Akinola Davies, has been selected for screening in the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival, marking a historic breakthrough for Nollywood. This semi-autobiographical film is set during Nigeria's 1993 military coup, portraying two boys navigating political turmoil, and features actor Sope Dirisu. Nollywood, known for producing a high volume of low-budget films centered on themes like love, poverty, religion, and corruption, has historically struggled to gain international recognition beyond African and diaspora audiences. However, this selection at Cannes signals a maturation of Nigerian cinema, with cultural advisor Prince Baba Agba noting it as evidence that the industry has come of age. Recent successes such as Editi Effiong’s "The Black Book" topping global Netflix charts and films like "Eyimofe" being picked up by prestigious distributors underscore Nollywood’s growing global impact. The industry continues to evolve from its earlier reputation of quick, low-budget productions towards gaining wider arthouse and international acclaim.