Madu unfolds as an immensely emotional and inspiring story that can be considerably contemplative and somewhat uncomfortable but is often heartwarming and moving and sometimes quite humorous.
By Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku
In 2020, eleven-year-old Anthony Madu found his life changed after a video of him dancing ballet in the rain, barefoot, in his Lagos neighbourhood was posted online by his dance teacher and went viral across the world. That passionate expression earned him international attention that has since reshaped his path. On one hand, Anthony Madu received a scholarship at Elmhurst Ballet School, a prestigious institution in the UK. On the other hand, his story became the subject of an Emmy-winning Disney Original documentary, titled Madu (2024).
Co-directed by award-winning filmmakers, Matt Ogens and Joel ‘Kachi Benson, Madu traces Anthony Madu’s journey from his family’s modest home in Lagos to his new ballet school in Birmingham, capturing the excitement, challenges, alienation, and growth during his first year at Elmhurst. His very first time away from his home and family, Madu has to adjust to a new reality in a new country, a task made bearable only by the dream he now has the best opportunity to pursue and the fact that his family is, at least, a phone call away.
Adopting a fly-on-the-wall approach, directors Ogens and Benson simply follow, observe, and allow Madu’s story to flow with as little interruption as can be afforded. There are no talking heads, and interviews are rare and mostly presented as voiceovers.
As a result, Madu unfolds as an immensely emotional and inspiring story that can be considerably contemplative and somewhat uncomfortable but is often heartwarming and moving and sometimes quite humorous.
The documentary establishes Anthony Madu as a youngster with unusual passion, insistent on dancing ballet in an environment where he is bullied for it, and committed to succeeding when he moves to an enabling environment where ballet is a common pursuit.
There is no way to know how much of an influence the existence of documentary cameras might have had on his experiences, or if those experiences would have been different outside of a school specifically established to encourage and train ballet dancers, but in the UK, the deficits of Madu’s background become more glaring, and the consequences of those deficits threaten his progress despite his newfound access to much improved conditions.
However, the documentary does not ignore the quality of support that Madu does in fact have at home. If outsiders do not appreciate his talent or respect his interests, his family does.
So, the documentary places special focus on their hopes for him and the pride that he has brought them, but also on the impact of his absence on his parents and siblings. It is through this dynamic that Madu reflects on one of its most salient truths—the cultural and relationship cost of migrating for better opportunities.
Madu, both the film and ballet performer, is now being celebrated for a historic Emmy win. The documentary was nominated in two categories at the 2025 News and Documentary Emmys: “Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary” and “Outstanding Direction – Documentary”. It won the former, becoming Nigeria’s first Emmy-winning documentary.
Unfortunately, given the unavailability of Disney+ in Nigeria, many Nigerians in Nigeria were unable to watch the documentary before its remarkable Emmy win, except for when it had its Nigerian premiere at the 2024 iREP International Documentary Film Festival and when it screened for friends and family at KAP Hub in 2024. But it is never too late. After a homecoming screening held at Alliance Française, Lagos on Sunday, 28th September 2025, Madu will be available to watch for a limited time on AriseNews.
Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Madu will screen on AriseNews (DSTV channel 416; Gotv channel 24; Sky UK channel 516) on Saturday 4th October 2025 at 18:00 WAT, with a repeat broadcast on Sunday 5th October 2025 at 19:00 WAT. Also streaming in every country where Disney+ is available.
Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku is a writer, film critic, TV lover, and occasional storyteller writing from Lagos. She has a master’s degree in law but spends most of her time watching, reading about and discussing films and TV shows. She’s particularly concerned about what art has to say about society’s relationship with women. Connect with her on X @Nneka_Viv