‘My Father’s Shadow’ Director Akinola Davies Jr. on His BAFTA Win and ‘Free Palestine’ Moment That Was Cut From Broadcast of Speech: ‘It Was Important for Me to Say That in a Room Full of Artists’
After winning the BAFTA Film Award for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer for “My Father’s Shadow” on Sunday night, Akinola Davies Jr. decided to speak up about Palestine.
The critically acclaimed first feature from the British-Nigerian filmmaker — who sported pins of the Palestine and Democratic Republic of Congo flags to the ceremony — follows two brothers who attend a family reunion in Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election and witness their father’s daily struggles. Raised between London and Lagos himself, Davies Jr. felt compelled to highlight the importance of immigrant stories in his speech.
“To the economic migrant, the conflict migrant, those under occupation, dictatorship, persecution and those experiencing genocide, you matter and your stories matter more than ever,” Davies Jr. said on stage, standing alongside his brother and co-writer Wale Davies. “Your dreams are an act of resistance. To those watching at home, archive your loved ones, archive your stories yesterday, today and forever. For Nigeria, for London, Congo, Sudan, free Palestine. Thank you.”
However, that part of Davies Jr.’s speech did not make it into the tape-delayed BBC broadcast of the BAFTAs, which is always cut down from three hours to two. This caused outrage late Sunday night and Monday morning, especially since a racial slur shouted by Tourette’s campaigner and subject of the nominated film “I Swear” John Davidson — who experiences involuntary tics including swearing — was left in and not removed until Monday afternoon.
In a statement on Davies Jr.’s speech being edited, the BBC said: “The live event is three hours and it has to be reduced to two hours for its on-air slot. The same happened to other speeches made during the night and all edits were made to ensure the program was delivered to time. All winners’ speeches will be available to watch via BAFTA’s YouTube channel.”
Speaking to Variety on Monday after his BAFTA win, Davies Jr. acknowledges that edits had to be made to the broadcast but says “it’s a shame” that the last part of his speech was cut. However, he’s still proud to have used his moment in the spotlight to give a voice to those without one.
“It was really important in the moment for me to say that in a room full of artists, because we have an opportunity to influence people because they watch our films,” he says.
Plus, Davies Jr. got to meet the team behind Gaza drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab” — which lost to Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” for best non-English film — who thanked him for his words. “That was really beautiful that, even though they didn’t win an award, someone still advocated for what they’re going through,” he adds.
Below, Davies Jr. speaks more about winning his first BAFTA, showing solidarity with Palestine and what his next project might be.
I wasn’t really anticipating the win, if I’m honest. Obviously it’s the one you want to win, but I just tried to get my mind in a space where I was going to enjoy the occasion for what it is. And thankfully, I wrote something down so we weren’t awestruck when we got on stage, but I was obviously really nervous. It just means a lot to everyone below the line, Ṣọpẹ́ [Dìrísù], the two Egbo brothers Godwin and Marvellous, my brother, my producers, all the execs — everyone who has been part of our journey for the last 15-16 years or so to get to this point. And I’m just really proud of the team because it takes a village, and I think everybody in that village is equally as entitled to that victory as we are.
I guess I’m just very aware of what it means to have privilege, and I think it’s something that I always try and acknowledge. My mom always used to say, “There’s a lot of people worse off than you, so you should be really appreciative of what you have.” And I don’t think it really dawned on me until I became more of an adult that to be able to live in the bodies we have, to live in the societies we live in is a real privilege that a lot of people on this planet aren’t afforded. And wherein being someone from an ethnic background who has had a country that’s been torn apart by civil war and genocide, I think it’s really important to acknowledge that because the more we can talk about these things, the more you can offer people understanding and an opportunity to heal. What’s happening in the Congo, Sudan, Palestine, Ukraine, loads of different countries, it’s really important to show solidarity with because in cinema, we always come to talking about those stories after the fact. So I think it’s important to name it while things are still ongoing.
I think it’s probably common knowledge that things have to be edited down for TV versions, so I guess those are the choices that they decided to make. I think it was really important in the moment for me to say that in a room full of artists, because we have an opportunity to influence people because they watch our films. I can’t really speak for the BBC and the choices they make — obviously, BBC Films supported my film so I can only vouch for people within the institution that I know and care about and love. I do think it’s a shame, because we’ve protested for the last three or four years trying to show solidarity with the people of Palestine, we’ve had some of the largest political solidarity demonstrations in the U.K. So I don’t think what I’m saying is new, but again, I’m not the institution so I don’t get to make those decisions.
It’s unfortunate because I think what the BAFTAs were trying to do [was] celebrate diversity. I think “I Swear” is one of the outstanding films [of the year], and obviously Robert Aramayo also gave a speech talking about what it’s like [for Davidson] to live with Tourette’s and a lot of his prompts are things that he can’t control. Whilst it’s incredibly hurtful to still have to be on the biggest stage and be a person of color and hear a racial slur, I do think there’s a means to mitigate that, which they tried to do as best as possible in the room with the host saying that what [Davidson] said was out of his control. For all intents and purposes, I know what we’re speaking about was really sad, but I think a lot of people in that room last night were very proud of what the BAFTAs accomplished in terms of the acknowledgement of our work.
I was really struck by the team behind “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” I met Hind Rajab’s mother and they were all very proud of the fact that we showed solidarity with Palestine and we took pictures together and spoke a little bit. That was really beautiful that, even though they didn’t win an award, someone still advocated for what they’re going through. Joachim Trier was also really complimentary and we exchanged a few messages, and Chloé Zhao and Lynne Ramsay. Me and Ryan Coogler realized we had the same haircut and the same patterns in our hair. It was a cool night, man.
At the moment, it’s just in my flat. I do a lot of mentoring, so I think I’m going to take the trophy around and show it to a lot of young filmmakers so they can all take a picture with the BAFTA. Again, it’s not just for me. The award is really for the whole creative community here in London and in Nigeria, people who a lot of the time are just working with no praise and no acclaim and very little resources and are just very supportive of each other. And eventually, it’s going to find its way to Nigeria. I think my brother is giving his to my niece, and so mine is probably going to be shared with all my nephews.
I’ve had a documentary in the works that we need to get back to. My editor who worked on “My Father’s Shadow” is working on it, and we got some really exciting execs on it as well. It’s also about similar themes to “My Father’s Shadow” — it’s almost like a part B but in a documentary form. And then my brother and I are going to go on a writing trip and try and put something together, a first draft of what would be the next project. But I’m just really excited to keep promoting “My Father’s Shadow,” because we’ve got the French release on March 25, the Spanish release on March 5 and a Brazilian release in early to mid April. So that’s a lot on my plate for the time being, for sure.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
The critically acclaimed first feature from the British-Nigerian filmmaker — who sported pins of the Palestine and Democratic Republic of Congo flags to the ceremony — follows two brothers who attend a family reunion in Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election and witness their father’s daily struggles. Raised between London and Lagos himself, Davies Jr. felt compelled to highlight the importance of immigrant stories in his speech.
“To the economic migrant, the conflict migrant, those under occupation, dictatorship, persecution and those experiencing genocide, you matter and your stories matter more than ever,” Davies Jr. said on stage, standing alongside his brother and co-writer Wale Davies. “Your dreams are an act of resistance. To those watching at home, archive your loved ones, archive your stories yesterday, today and forever. For Nigeria, for London, Congo, Sudan, free Palestine. Thank you.”
However, that part of Davies Jr.’s speech did not make it into the tape-delayed BBC broadcast of the BAFTAs, which is always cut down from three hours to two. This caused outrage late Sunday night and Monday morning, especially since a racial slur shouted by Tourette’s campaigner and subject of the nominated film “I Swear” John Davidson — who experiences involuntary tics including swearing — was left in and not removed until Monday afternoon.
In a statement on Davies Jr.’s speech being edited, the BBC said: “The live event is three hours and it has to be reduced to two hours for its on-air slot. The same happened to other speeches made during the night and all edits were made to ensure the program was delivered to time. All winners’ speeches will be available to watch via BAFTA’s YouTube channel.”
Speaking to Variety on Monday after his BAFTA win, Davies Jr. acknowledges that edits had to be made to the broadcast but says “it’s a shame” that the last part of his speech was cut. However, he’s still proud to have used his moment in the spotlight to give a voice to those without one.
“It was really important in the moment for me to say that in a room full of artists, because we have an opportunity to influence people because they watch our films,” he says.
Plus, Davies Jr. got to meet the team behind Gaza drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab” — which lost to Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” for best non-English film — who thanked him for his words. “That was really beautiful that, even though they didn’t win an award, someone still advocated for what they’re going through,” he adds.
Below, Davies Jr. speaks more about winning his first BAFTA, showing solidarity with Palestine and what his next project might be.
I wasn’t really anticipating the win, if I’m honest. Obviously it’s the one you want to win, but I just tried to get my mind in a space where I was going to enjoy the occasion for what it is. And thankfully, I wrote something down so we weren’t awestruck when we got on stage, but I was obviously really nervous. It just means a lot to everyone below the line, Ṣọpẹ́ [Dìrísù], the two Egbo brothers Godwin and Marvellous, my brother, my producers, all the execs — everyone who has been part of our journey for the last 15-16 years or so to get to this point. And I’m just really proud of the team because it takes a village, and I think everybody in that village is equally as entitled to that victory as we are.
I guess I’m just very aware of what it means to have privilege, and I think it’s something that I always try and acknowledge. My mom always used to say, “There’s a lot of people worse off than you, so you should be really appreciative of what you have.” And I don’t think it really dawned on me until I became more of an adult that to be able to live in the bodies we have, to live in the societies we live in is a real privilege that a lot of people on this planet aren’t afforded. And wherein being someone from an ethnic background who has had a country that’s been torn apart by civil war and genocide, I think it’s really important to acknowledge that because the more we can talk about these things, the more you can offer people understanding and an opportunity to heal. What’s happening in the Congo, Sudan, Palestine, Ukraine, loads of different countries, it’s really important to show solidarity with because in cinema, we always come to talking about those stories after the fact. So I think it’s important to name it while things are still ongoing.
I think it’s probably common knowledge that things have to be edited down for TV versions, so I guess those are the choices that they decided to make. I think it was really important in the moment for me to say that in a room full of artists, because we have an opportunity to influence people because they watch our films. I can’t really speak for the BBC and the choices they make — obviously, BBC Films supported my film so I can only vouch for people within the institution that I know and care about and love. I do think it’s a shame, because we’ve protested for the last three or four years trying to show solidarity with the people of Palestine, we’ve had some of the largest political solidarity demonstrations in the U.K. So I don’t think what I’m saying is new, but again, I’m not the institution so I don’t get to make those decisions.
It’s unfortunate because I think what the BAFTAs were trying to do [was] celebrate diversity. I think “I Swear” is one of the outstanding films [of the year], and obviously Robert Aramayo also gave a speech talking about what it’s like [for Davidson] to live with Tourette’s and a lot of his prompts are things that he can’t control. Whilst it’s incredibly hurtful to still have to be on the biggest stage and be a person of color and hear a racial slur, I do think there’s a means to mitigate that, which they tried to do as best as possible in the room with the host saying that what [Davidson] said was out of his control. For all intents and purposes, I know what we’re speaking about was really sad, but I think a lot of people in that room last night were very proud of what the BAFTAs accomplished in terms of the acknowledgement of our work.
I was really struck by the team behind “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” I met Hind Rajab’s mother and they were all very proud of the fact that we showed solidarity with Palestine and we took pictures together and spoke a little bit. That was really beautiful that, even though they didn’t win an award, someone still advocated for what they’re going through. Joachim Trier was also really complimentary and we exchanged a few messages, and Chloé Zhao and Lynne Ramsay. Me and Ryan Coogler realized we had the same haircut and the same patterns in our hair. It was a cool night, man.
At the moment, it’s just in my flat. I do a lot of mentoring, so I think I’m going to take the trophy around and show it to a lot of young filmmakers so they can all take a picture with the BAFTA. Again, it’s not just for me. The award is really for the whole creative community here in London and in Nigeria, people who a lot of the time are just working with no praise and no acclaim and very little resources and are just very supportive of each other. And eventually, it’s going to find its way to Nigeria. I think my brother is giving his to my niece, and so mine is probably going to be shared with all my nephews.
I’ve had a documentary in the works that we need to get back to. My editor who worked on “My Father’s Shadow” is working on it, and we got some really exciting execs on it as well. It’s also about similar themes to “My Father’s Shadow” — it’s almost like a part B but in a documentary form. And then my brother and I are going to go on a writing trip and try and put something together, a first draft of what would be the next project. But I’m just really excited to keep promoting “My Father’s Shadow,” because we’ve got the French release on March 25, the Spanish release on March 5 and a Brazilian release in early to mid April. So that’s a lot on my plate for the time being, for sure.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.