Akinola Davies is a BAFTA-nominated and Sundance Award-winning filmmaker, and an artist-in-residence at Somerset House. His work explores themes of community, race, spirituality, identity, and gender, telling international stories that bridge the gap between generations and communities. His short fiction film Lizard (2020) had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize, won the Blackstar Film Festival Short Film Award, and was nominated for the BAFTA for Best British Short Film. Akinola was selected for Berlinale Talents in 2020 and was named among Screen Daily’s “Stars of Tomorrow.” His first feature-length film, My Father's Shadow, premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Festival de Cannes, where it was awarded the Caméra d'or Special Distinction.