'Madu', a documentary about Anthony Madu, a Nigerian ballet dancer who rose to fame in 2020 after a video of him dancing barefoot in the rain went viral, was screened privately in Lagos on Friday.
The film was first screened in Nigeria at the 2024 edition of the iREP International Documentary Film Festival.
Kachi Benson, who won the Venice Prize in 2019 for his virtual reality documentary 'Daughters of Chibok', co-directed the 2024 Disney original documentary alongside Oscar nominee Matt Ogens. It premiered on March 29 and is available to watch on Disney+.
The documentary chronicles Madu Anthony's journey from Nigeria, when he won a scholarship to study at the century-old Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK after a 44-second video of him dancing ballet barefoot in the rain emerged, garnering more than 16 million views.
At the age of 5, Madu already had clear aspirations. Over the years, his passion for ballet led him to attend a prestigious school, where he began training to become a professional dancer. He traveled to the United Kingdom in 2021.
The private screening, held on Friday at the KAP studio in Ikeja, Lagos, was organised for Madu's family, friends and loved ones in Nigeria to watch the documentary for the first time.
The documentary also features several people who played a significant role in Madu's journey. It features her parents, who share their pride and support for her achievements, and her siblings, who talk about their bond and their excitement at her success.
Article page with promotion of financial support Family support Anthony Madu and his parents
Madu's family has always supported and encouraged her dreams. Leaving her family to study in the UK was a big shock for Madu.
The 15-year-old recalls how he started: “When I was five, I loved dancing, but it wasn’t ballet. When I saw a professional ballet dance on YouTube, I liked it. I told my mother I wanted to do it and she enrolled me in a ballet school.”
Madu's father spoke briefly to PREMIUM TIMES about how he feels about his son's achievements and expectations.
He said, “I am happier here because something unexpected happened. My English cannot describe my joy. If a child travels, something is expected of him, but before expecting something, it is more like sowing and reaping. You cannot travel today and achieve it right away unless you are aggressive. It is normal that when you travel abroad, you need grace and time to recover. If you do something without a plan, you will sometimes regret it.”
Madu's mother Ifeoma expressed her joy and said appearing in the film was not stressful as long as it involved her son, so she did her best.
Documentary film
In 2020, a video of a young Nigerian named Madu Anthony dancing ballet in the rain captured the attention of the world. His obvious passion for ballet opened doors for him and allowed him to secure a scholarship at Elmhurst, one of the most prestigious ballet schools in Great Britain.
His family was overjoyed when he received his visa and Madu left Nigeria for the UK, promising to make them proud. In the UK, Madu found solace in talking to his mother or spending time with friends when he felt lonely or depressed.
Madu was always haunted by the fear of not succeeding as a ballet dancer, but his tutors encouraged him. During dance classes, he began to feel dizzy and had trouble seeing clearly; he eventually learned that he was partially blind in his right eye.
The resourceful Madu adapts his dance techniques to accommodate his visual impairment. His dedication to ballet is evident as he focuses on its broader goals rather than its challenges.
Director Anthony Madu speaks
At the event, Mr. Benson recounted his experience co-directing the documentary and what inspired him to make it.
He said: “It was a meaningful experience. I worked with a friend of mine, Matt Ogens, who is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker. We were both directing this, and neither of us had co-directed before. It was an exciting situation. You have your vision and ideas as a director; he had his. So, there would be a lot of conversations and some friction here and there. But ultimately, if you’re focused on the division of the film, everything we do is for the benefit of the film.
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“We were filming off and on for a year. When something happens, you go and document it. We started with him in Nigeria, and then we followed him when he got the scholarship to go to England. We will be filming again at different important moments during the school year. What is inspiring about Madu’s story is seeing this boy. We saw this boy as any other child walking down the street in Ajangbadi, and then we saw him transform into this elegant young man. It happened before our eyes and it shows the power of following your dreams.”
He commented on Madu's journey and said that she worked hard despite not living in the best environment. She had that passion and kept going at a very young age. “Her story is that of millions of young Nigerians who pursue their dreams in different ways despite our challenges.”