After accepting the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut Film by a British Writer, Director or Producer, Shadow of the Father helmer Akinola Davis Jr. ended his speech by saying, “Liberate Palestine.” However, these words were removed from his speech when the ceremony was broadcast on the BBC two hours later.
Towards the end of Davis Jr.’s speech during the taping of the awards ceremony, and in one of the show’s only political moments, he said, “For economic migrants, conflict migrants, people under occupation, dictatorship, persecution, and those experiencing genocide, you matter and your story matters.” is more important than ever. Your dreams are acts of resistance. To those watching at home, archive your loved ones, archive your stories yesterday, today and forever. Liberate Nigeria, London, Congo, Sudan, Palestine.
However, this segment was completely cut from the show’s broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer, with only the first part of Davies Junior’s speech (in which he thanked his family and his brother and co-writer Wale Davies) being broadcast. My Father’s Shadow, Britain’s official Oscar international feature submission, follows two brothers who attend a family gathering in Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian elections and witness their father’s daily struggles.
Representatives for the BBC and Davis Jr. did not immediately respond to Variety’s requests for comment.
There are always cuts in the BBC’s broadcast of the awards ceremony, as the ceremony is edited from three hours to two hours, but the omission of Davis Jr.’s “Liberate Palestine” caused particular outrage, as did several abuses, including the N-word, that occurred during the recording.
Tourette’s advocate John Davidson, who inspired the film I Swear, for which star Robert Aramayo won a BAFTA for Best Actor, was also present at the ceremony, and the audience was warned that there was a possibility of abusive language, including strong language. However, when Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo took the stage at the inaugural Special Visual Effects Awards ceremony, he caused a stir by shouting the N-word.
BAFTA host Alan Cumming addressed the issue at the awards ceremony, saying: “You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This may be part of the way Tourette’s syndrome manifests itself in some people as the film explores that experience. Thank you for understanding and working together to create a space that is respectful to all.”
In a second statement later, Cumming added: “Tourette syndrome is a disorder and the tics you heard tonight are involuntary. That means people with Tourette syndrome have no control over their speech. I apologize if I was offended tonight.”
But the moment, and the BBC’s decision to leave the N-word on the tape-delay broadcast, sparked widespread debate on social media, with disability advocates reminding viewers that Mr Davidson had no control over what he said, while others still believed broadcasting the racial slur was unacceptable.
