Nigerian documentary filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson has made history. His Disney Original Documentary Madu, which follows the inspiring journey of Nigerian boy ballet dancer Anthony Madu, won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the 2025 News & Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City. With this win, Benson becomes the first Nigerian — and the first African — to win an Emmy for directing a documentary in this category. The honor marks a pivotal moment for African cinema and affirms the global resonance of African storytelling.

Madu, co-directed with Oscar nominee Matt Ogens, chronicles Anthony Madu’s remarkable path from a viral sensation in Lagos, captivating the world with his barefoot pirouettes, to a scholarship at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK. The documentary beautifully captures the cultural and emotional transformations of a young artist pursuing his dream across continents.

“This Emmy is a win for Nigeria, for Africa, and for storytellers everywhere. It’s proof that our stories matter, and when told with care, they can travel and transform,” said Benson.

Benson’s Emmy win is just one of his recent triumphs. His newest film, Mothers of Chibok—a powerful follow-up to his groundbreaking VR piece Daughters of Chibok, was awarded Best African Feature Documentary—the top prize—at the prestigious Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival this week.

Mothers of Chibok, which premiered at Doc NYC in November 2024, gives voice to the enduring hope and resilience of the women whose daughters were abducted in the 2014 Chibok incident, reminding the world of a crisis still seeking resolution. The film builds on the legacy of Daughters of Chibok, which won the Venice Lion for Best VR Story in 2019, making Benson the first African filmmaker to achieve this honor.

“Stories like ‘Madu’ and ‘Mothers of Chibok’ reinforce my belief that documentaries truly can change lives,” Benson added. “They allow us to bridge divides, foster understanding, and amplify voices that need to be heard.”