Madu

2024

Action / Biography / Documentary

2
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 100% · 9 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 80%
IMDb Rating 5.3/10 10 272 272

england biography nigeria leaving home ballet school viral video

Plot summary

From practicing barefoot on the streets of Lagos to performing on stage in England, twelve year old Anthony Madu leaves his home in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world. Anthony, who had barely left his neighborhood in Lagos, finds himself thrust into a new world where his wildest dream is suddenly within reach. His journey is a story of extraordinary obstacles, courage, growth, and ultimately, his search for belonging.

Director

Matthew Ogens Photo
Matthew Ogens

Top cast

720p.WEB 1080p.WEB 2160p.WEB.x265
925.73 MB
1280*534
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  cz  dk  de  gr  es  fi  fr  hu  it  ja  kr  nl  no  pl  pt  ro  sk  sv  tr  cn  
24 fps
1 hr 40 min
Seeds 2
1.86 GB
1920*800
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  cz  dk  de  gr  es  fi  fr  hu  it  ja  kr  nl  no  pl  pt  ro  sk  sv  tr  cn  
24 fps
1 hr 40 min
Seeds 4
4.49 GB
3840*2160
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  cz  dk  de  gr  es  fi  fr  hu  it  ja  kr  nl  no  pl  pt  ro  sk  sv  tr  cn  
24 fps
1 hr 40 min
Seeds 2

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by jyvarki

Could have been so much more

No question the boy is wonderful and deserves for his story to be told, but so many mixed feelings about this movie that unfortunately lacks depth.From the first opening scenes it feels like a feel good diversity checkmark for a big studio. We don't learn much about the boy (how did he discover ballet and what did it take him to learn to dance? Is he doing well at his regular school? How will he cope with school program in the UK?) and his family (what do his parents do for a living? How did they support his passion? What is going on between two brothers?), the scenes are a pretty visual but narrative-wise they feel empty. Adapting to a whole new country should be overwhelming, especially in such a competitive environment with big dreams at stake but it looks fairy-talish and only somewhat challenging. And that brings the ethical question I couldn't get rid of while going through the extreme close-ups of the movie.How do you film emotional scenes with such a child without prying too much, how far do you push to tell a story, and essentially how much can you communicate without asking questions and directing? How does a camera being there affect behavior of his peers and what is performed by people around him just because there is a camera following him everywhere?
Reviewed by elisagillespie-28852 9 / 10

If you haven't been in a "thrown out of your entire world" situation, this is what it looks like

Now that I'm older, I can see all the things Madu isn't saying. Being given the chance to jump outside of your entire oppressive world and being the first to do so is very clearly expressed in these silent scenes. It shows the people we are lucky to meet who are nice, but still very foreign. The people who want to see you in their world, but are so far away from where you currently are you're only focused on making them happy. Then the people who see where you are and who you were that try to ease you forward into this new world, but already know the things that are hard to express. This movie shows them in as little words as there actually are to describe all these feelings.

Just seeing how and why it was hard to understand the opportunities given to you because you're going against the stream is what I was blown away by. It isn't enough to be given the opportunity. You need a Jiminy cricket to help you through it. The voice only you can hear that says to you, "wait a minute, that isn't truly the whole story , try again". He mostly hears "you'll be fine " a lot. Not because people don't care, but simply because they want you to be okay, but don't know how to say that without sounding like they don't really know the world you want to be in, but, just want you to be happy.

There's so much I wish I could convey about this film. I just know there are so many of us that can relate, but probably not with ballet, exactly.

I get it. It's hard to watch sometimes until I just remember that I'm just scared for Madu.

Reviewed by richard_smither 9 / 10

Excellent Film

This is a beautifully made film following Madu as he leaves his home in Nigeria to travel to a Ballet school in London.

Found by an instagram video posted by his family he is given the opportunity to follow his dreams of studying ballet and seeing if he has the ability to make it his life.

He fights against bullying, home sickness, cultural differences, his changing relationships with his family and most emotionally a problem with his sight.

During all these adversities he keeps pursuing his dream and it's very inspiring.

I will be following his career and hoping he finds contentment.

It's a beautiful directed, shot and edited film.

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