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‘Madu’ Review: Inspirational Doc on Young Nigerian Ballet Dancer Dazzles Visually but Lacks Depth
Matthew Ogens and Joel Kachi Benson follow Anthony Madu as he adapts to a new country in this arrestingly beautiful but not so insightful portrait.
The graceful movements of 12-year-old Anthony Madu, a boy from Lagos, Nigeria, with a zeal for ballet, are inherently cinematic: arms stretched out to the sky, his body contorting like a determined feather fending off a gust of wind, just before he pirouettes with elegant agility that commands attention. Co-directed by Matthew Ogens (Oscar-nominated for the 2021 documentary short “Audible”) and Nigerian filmmaker Joel ‘Kachi Benson, the inspirational doc “Madu” forgoes talking heads, opting for the observational approach to chronicle his first year in a new environment far away from home. This decisively evocative aesthetic mandate extends to the entire film, including the interludes capturing delicate moments of contemplation or those that highlight Anthony’s feelings of alienation, making “Madu” a gorgeous visual experience.
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