The inspiring journey of Anthony Madu, the young Nigerian boy who danced barefoot in the rain and captured hearts around the world, has now earned one of the top recognitions in documentary filmmaking.
Madu, the Disney Original Documentary that follows his rise from the streets of Lagos to the global ballet stage, has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the 46th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York.
Directed by Joel Kachi Benson and Matt Ogens, Madu tells the powerful story of how a 44-second video of Anthony dancing in the rain went viral in 2020, amassing over 16 million views. The film chronicles his transition from practising pirouettes in a Lagos suburb to earning a scholarship at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK.
The documentary premiered on Disney+ in March 2024 and was also nominated in the Outstanding Direction – Documentary category. It had earlier made appearances at renowned festivals such as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the iREP International Documentary Film Festival in Lagos.
Reacting to the win, co-director Joel Kachi Benson wrote on Instagram:
“We won an Emmy!!! Times like these, I look back and I’m grateful for the journey, the pain, and the progress. It wasn’t always easy, but the Almighty remains the ultimate source of strength… This win is for us…the ones who dare to keep dreaming even when the world is laughing.”
Madu beat out other contenders in the category, including As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial, Butterfly in the Sky, Hollywood Black, and King Coal (POV).
The Emmy win marks a significant moment not only for Anthony but for the global spotlight it shines on raw talent, opportunity, and the power of dreams rooted in unlikely places.
