In a triumphant moment for African cinema, Nigerian documentary filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson has secured an Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the prestigious 2025 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, cementing his position as one of the continent’s most celebrated storytellers.
The award-winning documentary “Madu,” co-directed with American filmmaker Matt Ogens, was honored at a glittering ceremony held at the Palladium Times Square in New York City. The film faced formidable competition in its category, ultimately prevailing over notable contenders including “As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial,” “Butterfly in the Sky,” “Hollywood Black,” and “King Coal (POV).”
The documentary chronicles the extraordinary journey of Anthony Madu, a young Nigerian ballet dancer whose raw talent captivated the world in 2020. At just 11 years old, Madu became an internet sensation when a 44-second video of him dancing barefoot in the rain garnered over 16 million views, transforming his life from humble beginnings in Lagos to earning a coveted scholarship at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in the United Kingdom.
Speaking from the Emmy stage, the Abia-born Benson delivered an emotional acceptance speech that resonated far beyond the walls of the Manhattan venue. “This is a great honor. Thanks to Disney and the entire team at Hunting Lane,” he declared. “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.”
Co-director Ogens emphasized the film’s deeper themes, describing it as more than just a dance documentary. “When we met Anthony, he was just a kid dancing through, searching for a world in a place that didn’t always see him,” Ogens explained. “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.”
The partnership between Benson and Ogens proved to be a strategic collaboration born of cultural necessity. In a 2024 interview with Channels Television, Ogens revealed he was initially drawn to Anthony’s viral story but recognized the need for a co-director who understood the cultural nuances. This decision proved prescient, with Benson bringing an authentically African perspective to the narrative.
For Benson, the project held deep personal significance. Describing the filming process as intensely personal, he noted that documenting Madu felt like capturing “the transformation of two individuals at “once”—both the young dancer finding his place in the world and perhaps the filmmaker himself navigating the global documentary landscape.
“Stories like Madu’s are why I became a filmmaker,” Benson reflected. “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.”
This Emmy triumph represents another milestone in Benson’s already distinguished career. The filmmaker made history in 2019 as the first African to win the Venice Lion for his VR documentary “Daughters of Chibok,” which tackled the harrowing story of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram. The sequel, “Mothers of Chibok,” premiered earlier this year and continues to tour international film festivals.
As co-founder of VR360 Stories, Benson has consistently pushed boundaries in documentary filmmaking, utilizing cutting-edge technology to tell uniquely African stories to global audiences.
“Madu” premiered globally on Disney+ on March 29, ensuring worldwide accessibility to Anthony’s inspiring story. The documentary also received its first Nigerian screening at the 2024 iREP International Documentary Film Festival and was featured at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, among other prestigious venues.
The film’s success underscores the growing international appetite for authentic African narratives and represents a significant moment for Nigerian cinema on the global stage. As Benson noted in his Instagram celebration, “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.”
This Emmy victory not only celebrates individual achievement but also signals a broader recognition of African storytelling prowess in international documentary filmmaking, potentially opening doors for more diverse voices in the industry.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nigerian filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson has made history by winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary with “Madu,” a Disney+ film about young Nigerian ballet dancer Anthony Madu, who went viral in 2020.
This victory represents a breakthrough moment for African storytelling on the global stage, proving that authentic African narratives can compete and win at the highest levels of international filmmaking.
The Emmy win not only celebrates individual talent but also signals growing recognition for diverse voices in documentary cinema, potentially opening doors for more African filmmakers worldwide.
