Who is Akinola Davies Jr. and why is he significant?

Akinola Davies Jr. is a British-Nigerian filmmaker whose works include 'My Father's Shadow' and the short film 'Lizard'.

What is the BAFTA Breakthrough program?

BAFTA Breakthrough is a program supporting emerging talent in the film, television, and games industries.

What are Akinola Davies Jr.'s future goals with BAFTA?

He aims to learn from diverse industry professionals to improve his craft and collaboration.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Filmmaker's Surprise BAFTA Breakthrough

Filmmaker's Surprise BAFTA Breakthrough

25 Nov, 2025

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Summary

Akinola Davies Jr. earned BAFTA Breakthrough recognition.
He was initially unaware of the award's significance.
Davies aims to learn from diverse industry professionals.

Akinola Davies Jr., a British-Nigerian filmmaker, has been selected for the prestigious BAFTA Breakthrough Brits list. His directorial debut, 'My Father's Shadow,' premiered at Cannes, and his short film 'Lizard' won a Sundance Grand Jury Prize. Davies admitted to initially misunderstanding the BAFTA selection email, only realizing its importance after clarification.

Davies expressed a strong desire to utilize the BAFTA Breakthrough program as a learning experience. He hopes to connect with fellow artists across different disciplines to understand their unique contributions and challenges in filmmaking. His goal is to gather diverse perspectives to foster better collaboration within his own projects.