“Follow Your Dreams” Theme Dances its Way Through SBIFF World Premiere of Disney Film
Inspiring Documentary ‘Madu’ Opens Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Feb. 7
The SBIFF Opening Night Film ‘Madu’ | Photo: Courtesy
The international dance-themed documentary Madu kicks off the 39th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Wednesday, February 7, at 8 p.m. with its world premiere at the Arlington Theatre. Helmed by Academy Award nominee Matt Ogens (Audible) and Kachi Benson, the film is the story of 12-year-old Anthony Madu, who, after becoming a viral Internet sensation after a video showed him dancing ballet barefoot on a rainy street outside Lagos, goes from practicing barefoot on the streets to leaving his home in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world, where he finds himself thrust into a new world where his wildest dream is suddenly within reach.
The film follows young Madu’s journey away from his family in Nigeria to study at the 100-year-old Elmhurst Ballet School in the U.K. After the world premiere in Santa Barbara, Madu is scheduled to debut on the Disney+ platform on March 29. View the film trailer here.
In addition to the co-directors of the film, producers Jamie Patricof, Katie McNeill, and Rachel Halilej, editor Georgia Dodson, and composer Jackson Greenberg will be in attendance at the world premiere, along with Mayor Randy Rowse and other local dignitaries.
See sbiff.org for more information on SBIFF, which runs through February 17.