Documentary film “Madu”, which is currently available on Disney+, closely follows one talented boy from Nigeria. Although there are a number of small and big obstacles despite one very fortunate opportunity given to him, he keeps trying nonetheless as helped and supported by others around him, and it is also touching to observe the gradual personal growth from his ongoing journey toward being a professional ballet dancer someday.

During the early part of the documentary, we get to know a bit about Anthony Madu, a 12-year-old Nigerian boy who suddenly happened to draw lots of attention around the world when a video clip of his ballet dance went viral on the Internet a few years ago. Since he was 5, he became interested and then very passionate about ballet dance, and the video clip clearly shows his considerable talent and potential as a future ballet dancer.

Not so surprisingly, his ardent passion toward ballet dance is often ridiculed by other kids as reflected by a certain brief moment, but his family have always supported him anyway, and then there comes a good news for them. Thanks to that very popular video clip which was even reported on the BBC news in UK, Elmhurst Ballet School becomes interested in helping Anthony developing and honing his raw talent, and they are certainly delighted for this unexpected opportunity for him.

However, this also means that Anthony is soon going to leave for UK. While quite excited about going to that prestigious ballet school, Anthony cannot help but nervous about being separated from his family including his dear younger brother during next several months, and his mother and younger brother feel a bit sad despite being very happy for Anthony’s good chance.

Everything in Elmhurst Ballet School surely looks and feels alien to Anthony right from his first day in the school, but he gradually gets accustomed to his new environment because his talent can be encouraged and nurtured much more than before. Those teachers who are going to train him and many other students in the school are mostly kind and supportive while helping their students advancing day by day, and Anthony also comes to befriend several students around his age. Because he never had any close friend in Nigeria due to being often ridiculed for his ballet dance, he is rather awkward when he approaches to some of his schoolmates, but he soon becomes quite close to them, and he even shows an interest in one young girl later.

However, Anthony often misses his family a lot. He is sometimes conflicted about that growing feeling and his big aspiration, and then the situation becomes all the more complicated when he later begins to show the signs of a serious medical problem. Because he may have to give up his aspiration because of this, he becomes more conflicted than before, and he is subsequently advised to spend a holiday week along with the family in Nigeria.

While he is certainly welcomed by his family when he returns, Anthony comes to feel how much he is changed after spending several months in UK. He has surely seen more of the world outside, and his accent becomes closer to the British one than his original Nigerian one. In addition, he often has some emotional swings as his adolescent years begin, and there is a short but painful moment when his parents sincerely calm him down during another emotional swing of his.

Anyway, Anthony eventually goes back to his school in UK, and he keeps trying as receiving more help and support from his teachers and schoolmates. Although that medical problem of his is irreversible, he avoids the worst situation as least, and he still can study ballet dance as before, while his teachers are generous and encouraging as before. In addition, we also see Anthony hanging around with several schoolmates of his, and it is heartwarming to see how his schoolmates gladly provide some comfort and support to him.

While it sometimes oversteps a bit especially when it attempts to emphasizes how Anthony feels about his serious medical problem, the documentary shows a lot of care and admiration toward him, and directors Matthew Ogens and Joel Kachi Benson did a competent job of giving us more glimpses on Anthony’s aspiration and talent. From time to time, they show Anthony doing a solo performance alone in wide and empty spaces, and his artistic passion from these occasional moments is palpable to say the least. As reminded by one of his teachers at one point, he needs to know and then express himself more for whatever he will achieve someday, and the last scene in the documentary clearly shows us how much he is comfortable and confident about himself while ready to advance more for his future.

In conclusion, “Madu” is a modest but moving documentary, and you will come to root for its main human subject more when it is over. Although I wonder whether it could be more interesting if it followed Anthony a few years more, the overall result is still engaging enough on the whole, and I will be glad if there comes a documentary showing more of his ongoing journey some time later. Sure, there will certainly be a lot more challenges for him, but he will probably prevail and then fulfill his longtime aspiration in the end, you know.