Documentary on Nigerian boy in viral 2020 ballet video screened in Lagos

‘Madu’, a documentary about Anthony Madu, a Nigerian ballet dancer who became famous in 2020 after a video of him dancing barefoot in the rain went viral, was privately screened 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 Award in 2019 for his virtual reality documentary ‘Daughters of Chibok,’ co-directed the 2024 Disney original feature documentary alongside Oscar nominee Matt Ogens. It was released on 29 March and is streaming on Disney+.

The documentary chronicles Madu Anthony’s journey from Nigeria, when he earned a scholarship to study in the century-old Elmhurst Ballet School in the United Kingdom after a 44-second video of him dancing ballet barefoot in the rain surfaced, gaining over 16 million views.

By age 5, Madu had a clear vision of his aspirations. As the years passed, his passion for ballet led him to attend a prestigious school, where he began training to become a professional dancer. He travelled to the UK in 2021.

The private screening, held on Friday at KAP studio in Ikeja, Lagos, was organised for Madu’s family, friends, and loved ones in Nigeria to see the documentary for the first time.

The documentary also showcased various individuals who played a significant role in Madu’s journey. It featured his parents, who shared their pride and support for his achievements, and his siblings, who spoke about their bond and excitement for his success.

Family support

Anthony Madu and his parents

Madu’s family has always supported and encouraged his dreams. Leaving his family to school in the United Kingdom was a big shock to Madu.

The 15-year-old recalled how he started: “When I was five years old, I loved dancing, but it was not ballet. When I saw a professional ballet dance on YouTube, I liked it. I told my mum I wanted to do it, and she put me into a ballet school.”

Madu’s father briefly spoke to PREMIUM TIMES about how he feels about his son’s achievements and expectations.

He said, “ I am happiest here because something unexpected happened. My English cannot qualify my joy. If one child travels, something is expected from that child, but before you expect anything, it’s more like sowing and reaping. You can’t travel out today and make it immediately unless you are aggressive. The normal thing is that when you go abroad, you need grace and time to gather yourself well. If you do something without a plan, you will sometimes regret it.”

Madu’s mother, Ifeoma, expressed joy and said that appearing in the film was not stressful as long as it involved her son, so she did her best.

Documentary

In 2020, a video of a young Nigerian boy named Madu Anthony dancing ballet in the rain captured widespread attention. His evident passion for ballet opened doors for him, leading to a scholarship at Elmhurst, one of Britain’s most prestigious ballet schools.

His family was overjoyed when he received his visa, and Madu departed from Nigeria for the UK, vowing to make them proud. In the UK, Madu found comfort in talking to his mother or spending time with friends whenever he felt lonely or down.

Madu was often 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, eventually learning that he is partially blind in his right eye.

Resourceful Madu adapts his dancing techniques to accommodate his visual impairment. His dedication to ballet shines through as he focuses on his broader goals rather than his challenges.

Anthony Madu

Director speaks

At the event, Mr Benson recounted his experience while co-directing the documentary and what inspired him about this documentary.

He said, ”It was a significant experience. I worked with a friend of mine, Matt Ogens, who is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker. We both directed 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 are focused on the film’s division, everything we do is in the film’s interest.

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“We shot off and on for about a year. When something happens, you go and document it. It started with him in Nigeria here, and then we followed him when he got the scholarship to England. We will go back to film at different milestone points during the school year. What is inspiring about Madu’s story is seeing this kid. We saw this kid like every other kid walking the street of Ajangbadi, and then you saw him transform into this young posh man. He happened right before our eyes, and it shows the power of pursuing your dreams.”

He commented on Madu’s journey and said he pushed himself despite not living in the best environment. He had that passion and kept going at a very young age. ‘‘His story is of millions of young Nigerians pursuing their dreams in different ways despite our challenges.”