The co-director of the Emmy Award-winning documentary Madu, Joel “Kachi” Benson, has said that bringing Anthony Madu’s story to life was never just about filmmaking—it was about showing the world the power of determination and inspiring people.
The documentary tells the extraordinary story of 12-year-old Nigerian ballet dancer Anthony Madu, and follows Madu’s journey from the dusty streets of Lagos, where a viral video first brought him international attention, to his training at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in the United Kingdom.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Friday, Benson said, “I think that with Anthony, and with every other film that I make, it’s really about what’s your ‘why.’ I always want to get to that. Why do you do this? If it’s just another hustle, another gig, or another distraction for the meantime, then there’s no motivation there for me.
“I make films because I hope that they can inspire people. And so it was clear that if we’re able to put Anthony’s story together, it would inspire millions, not just his age, but even older, that anything is possible.”
For Benson, Madu’s unwavering passion at just 11 years old was remarkable. “I kept asking him, so why ballet? Why do you want to do this? And he was very clear and articulate about it. And so when I compare his determination with his age at the time, at 11, I wasn’t thinking about doing anything else with my life, but just eat, and go to school, and play. To see that level of determination in a kid at that age was very inspiring for me.”
The co-director revealed the challenges behind the celebrated documentary, noting that while audiences see the Emmy, they rarely see the setbacks. “Making a doc is not easy. We spent maybe a year and a half or two years making this doc. It got released last year. We started filming in 2021. So that’s like three years of work. You pour your heart into it. It’s all about putting that story out there. And so you have to push through. We felt like we owe him that. We owe his family that. We’ve earned his trust to tell his story, and we can’t betray that trust.”
Anthony Madu, now a student at Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK, shared his own reflections during the interview saying, “When I started doing ballet, I never really expected much because obviously, being in Nigeria, I was just solely based on doing what I love to do. And then making the video and then posting it and having it go viral was my first ever, wow moment. It was really, really surprising.
“And after the video, I just sort of thought that would have probably been it. And after that, I received a call from Elmhurst asking me to visit the school, which I did, and then went over for about a month and got a scholarship to go to Elmhurst Ballet School, which is absolutely amazing.
“Also, Disney reached out. Actually, Mr. Kachi Benson came over to my dance studio, speaking about wanting to make a movie about me. I was 11 then. So I kind of didn’t really know exactly what it really meant then. I was just like, oh, okay, why not? But it’s been a great journey since 2020 up until now.”
Anthony acknowledged the cultural barriers he faced, noting that in Nigeria ballet is often dismissed as something men should not pursue.
He said, “I can’t remember exactly what got me into ballet, but I remember a lot of my inspiration came from a dancer at the American Ballet Theatre called Calvin Royal, he’s a black dancer. And it was really inspiring to see that he’s managed to become a professional ballet dancer in the larger ballet industry. And it really gave me hope that I can at least maybe get to that level as well.
“I watched a lot of his performances, which I thought were really amazing and I wanted to be like him. And to be fair, I do guess it’s time to open a new dance studio to say that people can do ballet or men can do ballet because here in Nigeria it’s not really seen as something that guys can do. And it’s just kind of a bit of a shame, really, because you shouldn’t stop someone from doing something that they want to do because you don’t think it’s right.”
Now inspired by Calvin Royal III of the American Ballet Theatre, Anthony hopes to reach similar heights in the industry while paving the way for other young dancers from Nigeria.
The documentary captures Madu’s struggles, triumphs, and the resilience that carried him from obscurity to the world stage, shining a spotlight on Nigerian talent and perseverance.
Directed by Matt Ogens and Joel ‘Kachi’ Benson, and produced by Jamie Patricof, Katie McNeill, and Rachel Halilej of Hunting Lane, Madu has captivated audiences at festivals worldwide, including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, AFI New African Film Festival, and iRepresentation International Film Festival in Lagos.
The film recently made history by winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the 2025 News and Documentary Emmys — marking the first time a Nigerian has received an Emmy in a non-news category.
Melissa Enoch
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