Nigerian documentary filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson’s Disney documentary, ‘Madu’, has won the Emmy award for the Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the 2025 News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City.
The Matt Ogens co-directed documentary was nominated in May for the 46th annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, and was honoured at a ceremony held at the Palladium Times Square in New York City.
Organised by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the awards recognised Madu in two major categories: Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary and Outstanding Direction (Documentary).
The Emmy-winning entry competed against strong contenders, including ‘As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial’, ‘Butterfly in the Sky’, ‘Hollywood Black’, and ‘King Coal (POV)’, ultimately emerging as the top winner in its category.
While receiving the Emmy Award — which honours excellence in American television journalism and documentary filmmaking — on stage, the Abia-born filmmaker Benson said, “This is a great honour. Thanks to Disney and the entire team at Hunting Lane.
“This win is for Nigeria, and we dedicate it to Anthony Madu and every child out there with a dream. The world is waiting to hear your story.”
Madu tells the inspiring story of Anthony Madu, a young Nigerian ballet dancer who gained global attention in 2020, at just 11 years old, after a 44-second video of him dancing barefoot in the rain was posted online and garnered over 16 million views.
The film follows his journey from modest beginnings in Lagos to receiving a scholarship at Elmhurst Ballet School in the United Kingdom.
Reflecting on the project, director Ogens stated that Madu captures Anthony’s search for belonging and the courage to find his voice in a world that often overlooked him.
“When we met Anthony, he was just a kid dancing through, searching for a world in a place that didn’t always see him. Madu is about that search for belonging—for connection to stories of resilience, courage, and finding your voice when it would be easier to stay silent.
“What this Emmy Award means to us. Madu is a film about acceptance, belonging, and manifesting big, impossible dreams. This recognition is more than an honour—it’s a celebration of resilience, identity, and the universal desire to be seen. We made this film to tell a story that matters. Thank you for seeing it.
“Deep gratitude to Anthony Madu, Hunting Lane, @disneyorigdocs, co-director Kachi Benson, producers Jamie Patricof, Katie McNeill, Rachel Halilej, and our dream teams in Nigeria, England, and the US,” the American filmmaker said.
Reacting on Instagram, Benson wrote, “We won an Emmy!!! Times like this, I look back and I’m grateful for the journey, the pain, and the progress… This win is for us—the ones who dare to keep dreaming even when the world is laughing.”
In a 2024 interview with Channels Television, Ogens revealed that he was drawn to Anthony’s viral story but wanted a co-director who understood the culture.
Benson described the filming process as “personal”, adding that Madu felt like documenting the transformation of two individuals at once.
Speaking on his mission as a filmmaker, Benson said, “Stories like Madu are why I became a filmmaker. They remind us that hope can come from the most unexpected places and that the world is hungry for stories from an authentic African perspective. This recognition is a win for all of us who believe in the power of documentary to change minds and lives.”
The documentary premiered globally on Disney+ on 29 March and had its first Nigerian screening at the 2024 iREP International Documentary Film Festival. It was also showcased at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, among others.
Benson, who also co-founded VR360 Stories, is no stranger to critical acclaim. In 2019, he became the first African to win the Venice Lion for his VR documentary Daughters of Chibok.
Its sequel, Mothers of Chibok, premiered earlier this year and is currently touring the global film festival circuit.
Credit: AFP
