Akinola Davies Jr. is an award-winning British-Nigerian filmmaker whose work explores identity, race, community, and the diasporic experience across film, fashion, music, and art.
His debut feature, My Father’s Shadow (co-written with Wale Davies), premiered at Cannes in 2025 and later won the 2026 BAFTA for Outstanding Debut, following the success of his Sundance Grand Jury Prize–winning short Lizard. Named one of Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” for 2026, Davies has collaborated with brands including Gucci, Kenzo, Mulberry and Tommy Hilfiger, while also becoming a key creative voice for a new generation of London designers including Maximilian Davis, Bianca Saunders, Nicholas Daley, Aluwalia, and Sage Nation. His work has been exhibited internationally at institutions including Tate Modern and MoMA.