Nigerian documentary filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson has revealed that his decision to pursue a career in nonfiction storytelling was once met with scepticism, even from friends, before his recent global recognition.
“I remember when I first said I wanted to make documentaries, my friends thought I was half crazy. They were like, ‘What does that even mean? ’ ‘What’s the model behind that? ’ I couldn’t really explain it — I just knew I loved nonfiction, real stories, and unscripted TV.
“I love these real stories and I felt happy doing them. So I was like, Look, man, I’m just happy doing this. So I’m going to do it. And years later, we’re telling the kind of stories that we want to tell, how we want to tell them and putting them on these, you know, platforms,” Benson said in an interview with Channels Television entertainment.
Fast forward to 2025, Benson made history as the first Nigerian to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City.
The winning film, Madu, co-directed with Oscar-nominated Matt Ogens, tells the inspiring story of Nigerian ballet dancer Anthony Madu.
“I see myself in Anthony. Pursuing a dream that is seemingly unachievable, but you put your heart to it and, you know, let time and chance and all of that take care of the rest,” Benson said.
‘Nigerian Stories Matter’
The Disney Original Documentary Madu was honoured at the ceremony held at the Palladium Times Square, where it also received a nomination for Outstanding Direction (Documentary).
It shone in the arts and culture category, beating entries such as As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial, Butterfly in the Sky, Hollywood Black, and King Coal (POV).
The 44-second viral video that inspired the film showed Anthony, then aged 11, dancing barefoot in the rain in Lagos. It garnered over 16 million views online, leading to a scholarship offer from the Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK.
READ ALSO: Kachi Benson Wins Emmy For Disney Documentary ‘Madu’
Reflecting on his surprise win, Benson said, “It wasn’t something I was expecting, because when they mentioned all the nominees, I was shocked. But I always see wins like this not just as personal victories but for the entire Nigerian documentary filmmaking community.
“It shows our stories matter. We can tell them on the biggest platforms and hold our own. I hope this inspires someone to say, ‘If Kachi can do it, then I can too. ’”
Nigerian Doc Filmmaking Funding A Challenge
Benson used the platform to call for greater funding access for documentary filmmakers in Nigeria, describing it as the biggest hurdle in the industry.
“The biggest challenge for doc filmmakers in Nigeria is just access to support and funding to tell the kind of stories we want to tell,” he said.
“That’s something I’m really committed to right now—whether it’s training or figuring out ways young filmmakers can access funds, no matter how little, to pursue their dreams. ”
He stressed that not every production needed a big budget and said he was already in talks with stakeholders like iREP founder Femi Odugbemi on how to make documentary filmmaking more accessible.
“It shouldn’t revolve around only a certain group who have access. The more filmmakers we empower, the better for the ecosystem — and the better for Nigeria. Who knows what the next guy could do to put us on the map? ” he said.
Benson also revealed that his latest documentary Mothers of Chibok — the sequel to his Venice Lion-winning Daughters of Chibok — recently won three major awards at the Encounters South Africa International Film Festival, including Best Documentary, Best Feature Documentary, and the Al Jazeera Prize.
