Nigerian Filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson Wins Emmy for ‘Madu’ Documentary

When Nigerian filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson walked onto the stage at the 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City, he made history for himself and for African storytelling.

His film Madu won the Emmy for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary, showing that audiences around the world are hungry for real, local stories from Africa.

Madu tells the true story of Anthony Madu, a young ballet dancer from Lagos. One day, a 44-second video of him dancing barefoot in the rain was shared online and quickly went viral. That small clip earned more than 16 million views and led to Anthony winning a scholarship to study at Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK. Benson’s film captures Anthony’s passion and shows how a simple video can change a person’s life.

The documentary was made as a Disney Original and is co-directed by Benson and American filmmaker Matt Ogens. It premiered on Disney+ in March 2024, giving people everywhere a chance to see an inspiring tale from Nigeria.

In addition to its Emmy win, Madu was also nominated for Outstanding Director, Documentary and was shown at important film festivals, including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and Lagos’s iREP International Documentary Film Festival.

On Instagram, Benson thanked everyone who helped make the film and dedicated the award to Nigeria and “every child with a dream.” His words about hard work, community support, and the need to tell true stories struck a chord with artists across Africa who see Madu as proof that local stories can have a global impact.