Madu (2024) Movie Script
[bright, percussive music plays]
[percussive music continues]
[energetic voices singing]
[distant light traffic]
[teacher] How are you all?
Fine. Thank you, sir. And you?
[teacher] I'm good. Sit down.
Proper noun
is a general name given
to a person, place...
- or?
- [students] Things!
- [teacher] Collective!
- Noun!
[teacher] Noun. And what, abstract?
Noun!
[playful chatter]
Sorry.
Why's he dancing like a girl?
[Anthony] Sometimes I close my eyes
and imagine myself on a big stage.
[classical violin plays]
I was 5 years old
when I discovered ballet.
Ballet is not accepted in Nigeria.
People think that it's not for boys.
Take it easy, slow down.
[Anthony] But I don't listen to them.
I just keep dancing.
[man] ...heads and down!
Everybody keep working
to get down together.
If we're not being as constant,
we've not started.
Six. Five, and six, and seven and go.
[Anthony] It's my dream,
and I have to follow it.
[man] ...and two, and three, and four.
[phone ringing]
[woman over voicemail]
Hi, Mrs. Madu.
We wanted to talk to you
about Anthony, your son.
We saw him on Instagram and on the news.
It was amazing that that video went viral.
You can see that passion.
That's what really came across.
For me, it's the fire in the belly.
He's just definitely got this
hunger for it, hasn't he?
He had so much raw talent
that we are interested in at the school.
- You must be very proud.
- I'm very proud of him.
It's kind of exciting, but daunting,
thinking about your little boy
so far away from home.
- How long will you stay?
- I don't know.
[somber music playing]
[distant light traffic]
[vehicles honking]
[Ifeoma] My baby, calm down.
Calm down, we will make it.
My hand is shaking, open it fast.
- Ah!
- Is it there? Is it there?
That's it! That's it, that's it!
Hey! Thank God!
Are those my eyebrows? They look funny.
Look, see how beautiful your smile is.
Fat. I'm fat oh.
You have full cheeks.
- And I like that.
- The Child Student.
Child Student. Madu Mmesoma Anthony.
Chisom will miss you too much.
Your brother is going to miss you.
[soft laugh]
Wow.
[bright music playing]
We gather in the name of the Father,
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Redeemer, we thank you.
We worship you. We glorify your name.
Father, we are here to thank you more
for what you have done for us.
- You surprise us with good news.
- [Ifeoma] Yes, Lord.
- May your holy name be honored.
- Amen.
- May your holy name be glorified.
- Amen.
- May your holy name be praised...
- Amen.
- in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Amen.
[Ifeoma] Thank God
for everything He has done.
[metal clanking]
[Raymond] But if it is like this...
you can tight it more.
You can loose it, too.
One day, my son started dancing.
I thought it was maybe a kind of hobby,
of no benefit.
But as time goes on,
I started thinking that in this thing
is something that one has
to embrace, accept, appreciate.
Unfortunately, the place
they were training was not safe.
It's in a dangerous place.
We decided to withdraw him.
And I'm grateful God has given him
the opportunity to be there.
You put this one, remove this nut here.
You use this thing.
Seriously?
- Chisom.
- Hmm.
What happened?
You haven't been talking to me.
[sniffles]
[Ifeoma]
I feel for the younger one,
'cause they are just like twins.
They are always together.
Now that he's going,
I don't know how he will feel.
I'm happy that he's traveling,
but also, I'm having feelings
for the younger one.
[sighs]
[dramatic music playing]
I can't believe that I'm going
to be schooling in England
for seven years.
It's a great opportunity.
These are my winter caps, as they say.
And... yeah.
I'm actually happy to leave this school
because of the bullying and everything.
At least it's going to stop.
My mom is going to miss me the most.
I'm very, very close to her.
And... yeah.
We always talk together.
And also my brother.
Always... sometimes we have issues,
but sometimes, we do talk
to each other, so...
[small engine starts]
[air hisses]
[Raymond] The tire is gone.
If you have just small money,
change the tire.
If money comes, I will do it.
If there's money,
- I'm supposed to change this machine.
- Mm-hmm.
But there's no money.
How are your children?
- All of them are fine.
- Hope they are fine.
My son, he got a scholarship.
- Over there?
- He got a scholarship abroad.
Who will take him there?
- His God and the White man.
- The White man? Ah.
So, it's only dance that takes him there?
- Only dance.
- I thank God.
Okay. Thank you, sir.
It's just the same thing.
- The same afro you barbed last time.
- [stylist] Okay.
[razor whirring]
[Raymond] I dreamed that I died.
I started thinking,
if I died, who will bury me?
Who will take me to home?
But since I have the good news of my son,
if I die tomorrow,
I will die in good faith.
No more fear.
[Anthony] The promise I'm making
to my mom and my family is...
I will never let them down.
For he's a jolly good fellow
High five. Give me a high five.
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
And so say all of us
Hip, hip, hip, hooray!
No, no, no, you should wait!
I've seen this coming
years back when I lost my dad.
I prophesied that
it would come, and it came.
Yes. And that day, he danced there.
And he gave me
a special dance at my father's burial.
So, because of that, I say, "J"!
[all] J!
- E!
- [all] E!
- S!
- S!
- U!
- U!
- Safe journey!
- Yes.
S!
[all] Jesus!
- Oya, take, take, take.
- Mmesoma, it's me that...
I will miss you! I will miss my baby!
Eat, eat, eat, eat.
[indistinct happy chatter]
Oya, rub my tummy, rub my tummy!
[playful chatter]
- Mommy, thank you, thank you, thank you.
- See you.
- See you. Catch you.
- Bye-bye.
See my head.
Go to bed.
Tomorrow, we are leaving early.
Nna, good night.
Your last night with us here.
No good nights?
[Anthony] Mommy, good night.
All right. Good night. Have a sweet dream.
[Anthony] Okay.
You know that today is the last time
we'll sit together like this?
After now, you start going to the airport.
I will really miss you.
But I'm happy for you, hmm?
[sobs]
I'm happy for you, my son.
Thank you for making me proud.
The only thing
I'm begging you is to please
know what you go there to do. Hmm?
Know what you go there to do.
Don't forget where you're coming from.
Please, don't forget
where you're coming from.
- I will miss you a lot.
- Me, too.
Your siblings will miss you.
- Me, too.
- Your daddy will miss you.
- [Ifeoma] Anthony!
- [Anthony] Ma!
All right, let's go. It's time.
Let's go.
Someone should turn off the lights.
Make sure you lock the door very well.
Anthony's going to the airport!
[man] Safe journey, yeah?
Be a good boy, yeah?
[Ifeoma] You're a good boy, yeah?
Remember your mother, please.
[man] Not much time.
[Ifeoma] My baby. [crying]
I will miss you. I'll miss you, my boy.
[woman] We have to correct
everything by hand.
Do bear with us. We're a bit slow,
but we try to be as quick as we can.
[man] ...he loves you.
It's not... He's not lost.
You've not lost him.
He's not missing, he's just traveling.
Don't worry.
Once he lands, he will call you.
Okay, is that what happened? Don't worry.
[pilot] Ladies and gentlemen,
the front aircraft door is now closed
in preparation
for our departure and cross-check.
[dramatic music playing]
[sighs]
Hey, na!
Are you missing your brother? Hmm?
Don't worry, yeah?
He'll be reaching soon. They will call.
[sniffs]
[pilot] For those of you visiting,
welcome to the United Kingdom
and London's Heathrow Airport.
[indistinct announcement over PA]
[inspirational music playing]
[woman]
We auditioned 527 young people
for a place at Elmhurst.
And actually, for every
young person sat in the room,
there's ten other people behind you
that would love to be sat where you are.
So, I want you just to remember
how amazing it is that you got here.
Let's put our hands together
for our new students.
[inspirational music playing]
[phone beeps]
Mmesoma!
- Hello, Mommy, good afternoon.
- Nna!
- How are you?
- Fine.
- You're in your school now?
- Yes.
Oh, my boy!
Is this your room?
- This is my bed.
- London boy! London boy!
- And my table.
- I like your house.
Thank you.
- Have you eaten?
- Yes, Ma.
- You're okay?
- Yes.
[Anthony] Call you later this evening.
- [Ifeoma] Call me, let's talk, yeah?
- [Anthony] Okay.
- Bye-bye, my dear.
- Bye-bye.
I'm going to be living with a lot of kids
that I've never met before.
And... yeah.
I'm concerned if, maybe, I may not fit in.
[piano playing]
[instructor] And set.
Just slowly a la seconde.
Two-- a tiny bit quicker.
Three. Four. And show that allong.
[piano continues to play]
That's a fourth.
If it hurts, you stop.
If you feel a warm feeling
in your muscles,
that's a good feeling.
If it goes to a burn,
that's not a so-good feeling.
[ticking beat playing]
Keep pushing up. Up.
You can stop if you feel
that it hurts too much.
[indistinct chatter]
[classical orchestral music playing]
[distant playful chatter]
[boy] Do you want to play?
No.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
[bright music playing]
[soft sniffles]
[soft sniffle]
[instructor] Relev.
Other side.
So, I'm gonna restrict
those hips a little bit.
Yes. So, you can keep them
absolutely where they need to be.
You feel this is a little bit harder now?
Yeah? There we go.
So, you've got to use
your muscles to control that.
Don't worry about me. I'm out of the way.
Strong in your center, boys!
That's it.
One more a la seconde!
All right, all right.
Anthony.
Just gonna borrow you a second.
So, it's learning to manipulate this.
Now what happens
is you're quite good at correcting it,
but then you sort of get carried away
and sort of goes, oh, back again here.
So, it's maintaining that.
It's a lot of strength!
Yeah?
Shouldn't be any mistakes.
If you think this is hard,
wait until the summer show.
We'll start doing more complicated stuff.
It gets much more intense.
[indistinct chatter]
[sniffles]
[sniffling continues]
[Anthony] Some people,
they say that I'll never make it.
What if they're saying the truth?
Every time I think about the way
I've been bullied for years,
it makes me feel very, very bad.
And it makes me not respond to people
the way I'm supposed to.
Yeah, I used to be like...
I just want to be alone.
Yeah.
[sniffles]
[clicks tongue] Duh...
What my-- what my mind tells me
is that sometimes...
just everything is going to be fine.
Hello, Mommy, good evening.
Good evening, dear. How are you?
You're feeling all right now, right?
Yeah.
Good.
Remember our deal.
Be a good boy, okay?
You know we have a deal?
- You made a promise, right?
- Yeah.
Always remember
where you're coming from, yeah?
Yeah.
In the morning before stepping out,
you pray, okay?
Yeah. Yeah.
We are also praying for you here.
Yeah.
- Don't forget, okay?
- Yes, Mom. Yes, Mom.
Come and say hello to Anthony.
Hi.
It looks like it.
Where are you now?
- At home.
- You did what?
You're now speaking like a White person.
- I only--
- You're talking with your mom, please.
[chuckles]
You're still coloring?
- Yeah.
- Show me.
[Anthony] This guy's en pointe.
- [Sam] Oh, yeah.
- [Anthony] Black one's shoes.
[Anthony] Yeah, just first position.
Oh, is it like showing you
all the positions?
Yeah. This is like sissonne.
Where'd you get this from?
- Um... [indistinct]
- Wow.
[chuckles]
- That's actually really cool.
- Yeah.
Good night.
Is Bob Marley Nigerian?
[Anthony] Bob Marley? I think so.
[Sam] Yeah, I like Bob Marley.
- [Anthony] Yeah?
- [Sam] Yeah.
- [Anthony] Good night.
- [Sam] Good night.
[Anthony] Good night, Sam.
[woman] Five, six, seven, go.
[vocalizing]
That was so fun.
Can you teach us some Nigerian?
- How?
- Just like, tell us some words.
What's "hi" in Nigerian?
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Yeah. It's the same thing.
- Exactly same?
Yeah.
Look at Sam. I sent it to my mom.
And he just snapped a cheeky
picture of me!
I'll send this to my mom.
[Marshall] Basically, Anthony,
when I pass to you or Bert,
you're gonna shoot it.
You know how to kick the ball?
There you go.
Nice, Anthony.
Go, go!
Nice.
[boys laughing]
[man over TV] Like much of Europe,
the later Anglo-Saxons
developed a way of determining proof
which used the power of the elements,
of water and of fire.
If you were suspected of a crime,
you were subjected to a ritualized
but painful and dangerous test:
trial by ordeal.
- How long...
- [man over TV] No!
No!
We're then gonna be looking
at crime and punishment
in an era we call the Renaissance
or Rebirth era, 'cause it's French,
which is 200 years, 1500 to 1700.
Then we're gonna look
at the 18th and 19th century.
[fading] And then lastly, we're gonna
look at crime and punishment
in modern Britain.
Could you please just make a note...
I can't actually see what's on the board.
[woman] ...those eras in your book.
No, not that one.
[instructor, sing-song]
Low demi plie. One, a two.
Stretch three, a four.
And five, six.
Seven and eight.
Rise. One, two.
Lower. Three, four.
Dgag a la seconde. Six.
Lower. Seven, eight.
All right. Tendus.
Thank you.
Open your eyes, Anthony.
Your eyes are very, very important.
It's a better idea not to--
It's aching me.
- [instructor] Sorry?
- My eyes are aching me.
- [instructor] Your eyes are aching a bit?
- Yeah.
Oh, okay. I'm sorry to hear that.
- Has that been all morning?
- Yeah.
- Okay. Did you sleep okay last night?
- Yeah.
When-- how long ago did you,
um, land in this country?
- You know, when, when was it--
- [Anthony] Two weeks ago.
- Two weeks ago? Okay.
- Two weeks. Yeah.
[instructor] So, you... it's probably
maybe getting used to
a different country
and its different climate
and the different air
and food and all of this.
It might have an effect.
If you're worried, then we go
to the Health and Wellbeing
Center later, okay?
All right, boss.
Thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you...
- [door creaks]
- Thank you.
[soft clacking sounds]
- [woman] You okay?
- [Anthony] Yep.
[woman] Just relax.
[woman] Can you read the smallest line
that's clear for you there for me?
[Anthony] Um...
K, R, N?
[woman] Can you try, kind of guess
any of the ones on the line below?
- [Anthony] Not really.
- [woman] Not really.
That's absolutely fine.
[man] There's gonna be
some light coming in.
Okay, just straight ahead for a second.
That's the hard bit,
keeping your head still.
You're doing a perfect job. That's good.
Well done.
At some point, you've had a...
a sort of germ, if you'd like,
called toxoplasmosis,
and that's what's affected the retina
at the back of your eyes.
Hard to know exactly when.
It might have been shortly before
or after you were born.
And the retina is the bit in your eye
that works like a camera,
like the film in a camera
or like the chip in a camera.
So, it's the bit that turns
the light into a message.
[distant] Right one.
Your eyes are very, very important.
[ominous music rises]
[traffic sounds]
[phone chimes]
- Thank you, ma.
- Thank you. Bye-bye.
Bye-bye, ma. Hello?
[woman] He was seen by a local optician,
and his condition is quite longstanding.
He doesn't seem to have
very much sight at all
in his right eye,
so he's been referred to the NHS,
to a specialist doctor.
In the meantime,
we have a teacher coming in, Judith,
and, um, she's going to start
working with Anthony
on a one-to-one basis.
And we've got a mental health
nurse that he can access
if he needs that.
[Ifeoma] What is the problem?
What can cause those scars there?
[Anthony] Like when they took--
when they took--
when they took a picture,
like, they took a photo behind, like,
kind of like, at the back of my eye.
Yeah.
- Don't worry, you'll be fine, yeah?
- Yeah.
- Mmm?
- Yeah.
I mean, like, it's gonna
really disturb me sometimes.
I hope you are not afraid.
Hmm. I am.
Why?
Because there might be a point where
I can't be able to kind of, like, dance.
- Are you serious?
- Yeah.
It might be--
I'm afraid, like, it's gonna be...
it's gonna affect me in my dance.
Oh, my God.
- Don't worry. You'll be fine, okay?
- Yeah.
There's nothing God cannot do.
God will not allow this eye
to be a problem for your future.
[Anthony] It's actually my fault.
I'm really quiet when I'm sad.
I do not like talking to anyone.
So, when it started,
I didn't exactly tell her.
What if you can't do anything?
What if you can't dance anymore?
I worry because of this,
they'll send me back to Nigeria.
Yes. Up.
Right, bring your leg forward.
And, yes. Up, up, hold that core.
[Anthony] If I...
really quickly...
[instructor] Yeah.
[Anthony] ...it affects
my eyes, and like...
Ah, okay. All right. I understand.
But the thing is that we don't
want to spin really, do we?
- We want to turn on a balance point.
- Yeah.
[Anthony] I have to work really hard
so that I'm gonna be
at the same place that they are.
[motivational music playing]
I have two sisters, both older.
Oh. Nice.
I get along with them,
but one of them's really annoying.
[chuckles]
She's... yeah.
She's nice, but, yeah.
[Anthony] My brother is 11.
- So, he's really close to you.
- Not exactly.
We don't really get along.
Do you get along with your sister, though?
Yeah, pretty much.
Who's your roommate?
- Samuel.
- Samuel.
Yeah, he's pretty funny.
Sometimes at night,
he could be... literally...
[cheers and applause]
- [Anthony] Look at the graffiti.
- [Sam] That's so cool.
[Sam] Wow. It's like Ninja Turtles.
- Look at that!
- Oh, no.
I'm, like, really scared of heights.
Look at that one.
That one looks so weird.
This, and this, and this...
[Emily] Sam, what is this?
"All that we see or seem,
is but a dream within a dream."
[Anthony] I really miss my family.
What did your mom really
want you to do and stuff?
Yeah, she really wants me to dance.
[Omarian] So, is she your,
like, best supporter?
[Anthony] She's supported me
really, really well.
Omarian, Omarian, Omarian.
Please, could you get your head...?
[chuckling]
Please, could you get
your head out of the w...
[Omarian] How deep
is your love for your mum?
- From the range from one to hundred?
- [Anthony] Hundred.
Then that same day, I was doing like this.
Mr. Grundy was like,
"Are you in a band or something?"
I was like, "No!"
I didn't have friends back in Nigeria,
so I was focused in dancing.
But, like, people
started making fun of me.
[Omarian] How did you feel
when they started to tease you?
[Anthony] When I remember those days,
I'll be like,
Anthony in those days, and Anthony now...
[Sam] It's like Greece, isn't it?
- Ancient.
- Yeah.
Imagine being inside a wedding cake.
[Emily] It's like
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
[Sam] Oh, yeah.
[Emily] Seven, five, nine, what?
[Sam] 79528.
Anthony] Swan Lake.
The Nutcracker.
[Emily] Five, four,
three, two...
Oh, my God!
- No.
- This is cool.
No. I'm really scared.
No, no, no, no, no. [gasps]
- [Emily] We're going back up.
- [Anthony] Don't spin it.
Do not spin it. Do not spin it.
I need to come down.
No, I need to come down.
No! Ahh!
[giggling]
So, you're not brushing your hair?
Ow, ow, ow!
[Sam] You all right?
- Yeah.
- What's happened?
No, it's just the back
of my head. It's like...
- Knotty?
- Yeah.
[synth-flavored "Nutcracker" score plays]
[applause]
Oh, my God.
[Anthony shouts]
[man] Come over. Let's go center stage.
So, when you're at school
and you're performing,
and your teachers are telling you
to look out and beyond, imagine this.
- Yeah? Imagine this.
- [girl] Yeah.
[Anthony] What is it gonna take
for me to be like you?
[man] What's it gonna take? Well...
[Anthony] Because I want to be
a principal dancer.
I believe all of you will be able to do it
with lots of hard work,
determination, passion.
But if I had to give any words of wisdom,
it's to be who you are. Yeah?
'Cause there's only one of you.
So, it's being individual,
it's performing and resonating
and telling your story to that audience
who are coming to the theater to see you.
[woman vocalizing]
...up at five in the morning
I wake up and fight for my earnings
Fear in my mind is a warning
Pray to the one you rely in
[lyrics continue indistinctly]
[song ends]
[woman] Well done. Really nice.
It kind of flows naturally out of you.
You don't have to use much effort
to choreograph, I think, yeah?
Did you have improvisation in there?
- Yes.
- You did have improvisation.
And that ending part was improvisation.
[woman] That's, again,
- that's really hard to do.
- Yeah.
- I'd like to know, did you have a story?
- Yeah.
Um, I didn't really have a story,
but, like, my sister, she like,
played the music, so basically, yeah.
Even if you at first aren't
aware of it, it could be--
for you, for instance--
it could be the emotion
you've attached to your sister.
- [Anthony] Mm-hmm.
- And that's what we see...
'cause I can see something
in what you're doing.
It's imagery, it's flicking from,
I don't know, one picture
to another in your mind
as you're doing things.
A good story for you
could be something from home
which attaches a feeling
to what you're doing.
So, maybe consider that next time.
Pinpoint your story,
and that'll allow you
to keep your character
from the beginning all the way to the end.
- Sure.
- Yeah?
[Sam] Know what you're gonna do
for Christmas?
Obviously gonna be staying in the UK.
I wish I was going back home to Nigeria.
We didn't have enough money for visa
and flight ticket and stuff like that.
[Sam] Bet you miss your mom all the time.
Seriously, it's more than hard.
- It's harder than you think, actually.
- Yeah.
- Bye.
- Bye. I'm just gonna miss you.
[Sam muffled] I'm going to miss you.
[Raymond] The way I see Anthony,
I see him as a light for the family.
I miss him so much that
at times I'll forget that he's not here.
[classical music playing]
[music continues to play]
Good morning, nne! [laughs]
Happy New Year.
[singing cheerful music]
How did you spend your Christmas there?
Was it fun?
- It was boring. Felt like this, but...
- [Anthony] Yeah.
[Anthony, laughingly] Shut up!
[chuckles]
- Are you missing home?
- Yeah.
[Ifeoma] Have you seen your eye doctor?
[Anthony] I think I'm going
for the second one later.
Hello? Mmesoma.
How are you?
[Ifeoma] Your lips are very dry.
Do you have wet lips?
Wear lipstick, a red one.
[laughter]
[Ifeoma] What is wrong with him?
[laughs]
[stylist] We've gotta get you
looking fresh, isn't it?
So, how long you been here for now?
Thirtieth of this month
will make it half a year.
Okay. So, you're enjoying
- your time here, though?
- Yeah. Yeah.
I'll bet you miss the food
from back home, don't you?
- Yeah.
- And your mom's cooking?
Yeah. I can just imagine.
I can just imagine.
Bet your family must be
exceptionally proud of you, though.
[Anthony] Yeah.
[stylist] Excuse me
for taking my time, Anthony.
I'm a perfectionist,
probably like you as well.
- Where you wanna get everything correct.
- Yeah.
[stylist] I'm very much like that.
I take pride in my work,
like I suppose you take pride in yours.
Final touches on our hair,
and you can continue
with the rest of your life.
[chuckles]
[instructor] Better keep your shoulders.
And finish. Now up.
That's getting better.
Look at that elegant line. Now keep it.
Doesn't matter. Yeah?
[Marshall] What're you
gonna do after dinner?
- [Anthony] Oh, God, you know.
- [Marshall] Ohh.
- How'd you get juice?
- [Marshall] He just gave me one.
Wait.
Wait...
What're you giving to, um... who is it?
- Shut up.
- [Marshall] What?
I mean, like, she's actually
right behind you,
so basically...
I mean, yeah.
- [Marshall] So, what happened before?
- [Sam] We wanna know.
No.
[Sam] So, you're not gonna tell?
You're not gonna tell your best friends
how it went with your crush?
No!
- You got this. You got this.
- [Anthony] Huh?
- [Sam] Was it awkward?
- [Anthony] No!
- [Sam] Did it go bad?
- [Marshall] Madu's keeping a secret.
- I don't want to talk about it.
- Yeah, I think you're keeping...
Are you keeping a secret, Anthony?
Did you ask her out? Did she say yeah?
- No.
- [vocalizing]
- I don't even know...
- [Marshall] You do know how to dance.
[Anthony] What kind of dance?
It's only ballet I know how to do.
[Marshall] No, you know like,
street and stuff.
[vocalizing]
[indistinct chatter]
Not doing this. No.
There's no need to be nervous.
[Anthony] Oh, God.
[coughs]
- [clears throat]
- [Emily] Hey.
No.
Sorry, um, yeah. Hello.
So, yep, so...
Basically, I kind of like,
wanted to say
thank you for, you know,
being a good friend.
And like... basically, yeah...
You are kind of like the only real friend
I've ever had, basically.
Yeah, like, so that's why
I got you these for Valentine's.
- Oh. Thank you. That's so sweet.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- They're so pretty.
- Thank you. Yeah.
- Thank you.
I just saw them on the shelf,
and, like, basically, I remembered.
- Aw, thank you.
- Yeah.
I... Yeah.
Oh, my gosh, seriously.
- Really nervous.
- Don't worry.
- Was it bad?
- No!
[Marshall] It looked like it was good,
from my perspective.
It was really good.
- Seriously?
- Yeah.
So cold.
Come on, Marshall can be your wingman.
He's got loads of ladies.
Don't get embarrassed. It's a good thing.
- No!
- Yeah, it is really good.
- I thought you and Lulu were dating.
- [Marshall] No.
I swear you got her a birthday present.
Yeah. That's just friendship.
[giggles]
- [laughter]
- Wait. Wait, wait, wait.
- You know the last time we went to Aldi?
- Aldi, yeah?
I got an ice lolly,
and I gave it to Ms. Lester,
and it's still in her freezer.
I don't know how to ask her
to collect it back.
Just, "Ms. Lester, please,
can I have my ice lolly, please?"
[Marshall] Are you getting ready
for the summer show, mate?
[boy] Getting ready already?
We have a full week of dance. Like, two.
- [Sam] Two weeks?
- [boy] Two weeks of dance.
- You excited for it?
- Mm-hmm.
- [boy] Everyone is.
- Mmm.
[Anthony] It's gonna be
a lot of hard work.
The biggest show I've ever been here.
Just a bit... nervous.
[instructor] Okay. Settle down.
Nice and awake?
- [class] Yeah. Yeah.
- [instructor] Yeah? Lots of energy?
[instructor]
Rehearsals on stage on Monday.
Yeah? You're getting used
to the lights and everything?
[orchestral music plays]
Don't get too close together, girls.
Make sure you're right behind. Yeah.
Watch out, Miss Lindsay!
Listen to the music, guys. Okay.
Spacing was really good.
That's better. Yeah.
You were just a little bit
too close when you were...
Don't be scared about
getting out of breath. Okay?
You'll keep on breathing.
And your breath will slow down,
and you'll recover.
And if you do it more and more and more,
your stamina gets better and better,
and you recover quicker and quicker. Okay?
It's the endurance, yeah?
The stamina to keep that leg up.
I still have you at working towards two.
Is there anything that you
would like to raise with me?
Any issues?
- No.
- No?
[Anthony] Thank you.
[female instructor] Five, pli six.
Open seven, eight.
Stretch... three.
Two legs, as you would in a jump.
Six. Over. Seven. Eight.
And to make it simpler, let's do...
[Sam] I never really asked you,
where did you ever learn to dance?
Did you really struggle
to find a ballet place?
Yeah.
I kind of stopped going, though,
because my dance teacher
wasn't really being nice.
[Sam] What did he do?
[Anthony] This is a mark from him.
He normally flogged us
anytime I made a mistake.
[Sam] Was he mean to everyone?
[Anthony] Yeah.
[Sam] Like, how?
[Anthony] I don't really know
anything about it,
but I think it was really bad.
[Sam] Yeah.
[bright music playing]
You don't get pudding
because you don't eat your vegetables.
- Is that fair!?
- [students] No.
Well, there's a bit more
debate about that one.
That happens in my house.
Um, you have to get up
to go to school every day,
whether you like it or not.
- [students] No, not fair.
- [teacher] Okay?
[teacher] You can't go to school
because you're a girl.
[students] Not fair.
[teacher] Happens in some
parts of the world.
You are 12 and have to go out
to work to help your family.
- [students] Not fair.
- [teacher] Okay. So.
Please, can I get a tissue?
It's just my eye.
- [teacher] Okay.
- Yeah. Thank you.
[teacher] So, you all agree
that this is not fair.
But some of you said that
this one wasn't fair, either.
- [doctor] And looking at me now.
- Yeah.
Look at my face. Can you see my face?
I can see your face, but it's probably
just half of your face
that I can see with this eye.
Okay. Which half can you see?
Can you see this side or this side
or the top or the bottom?
- It's that side. Yeah.
- Okay. Okay.
And if I hold my hand up,
how many fingers can you see now?
[Anthony] So, I would say
one probably. Yeah.
Okay. All right, how many now?
I don't know.
Okay. Can you see my hand moving?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Open your eyes a little bit wider.
Look straight into the light
for me. Wonderful.
And look over to your right this time.
Well done.
Could I have a quick look
- at your left eye as well?
- Yeah.
So, look straight ahead for me.
Well done. You can sit back.
[Anthony exhales]
[doctor] The important thing to remember
is that with the left eye,
you've got some part of the retina
that actually functions quite well.
And that helps you see.
That will help you pursue your career.
These are not progressive changes.
So, you're not gonna lose any more vision.
But you are largely blind
with that right eye.
You do have the field of vision,
so you can see things on either side.
But your central vision is gone.
[gloomy music playing]
[music continues to play]
[woman] There isn't anything
that the doctors can do
to improve Anthony's vision.
So, the vision that he's got now
is the vision that he will have forever.
- [Ifeoma] Okay.
- [woman] Okay?
So, not the news that I think
we'd all been hoping for.
But this isn't going to get worse.
[sighs]
So, how about we send you
to Nigeria at Easter to see your family?
And hopefully help you come
back and-- with renewed energy,
to get through the summer term
'cause it's a busy one with the show.
[Anthony] Yeah.
[vocalizing]
[vocalizes]
This here cloth is changing color.
[indistinct remarks]
Ah! Jesus! [shouts]
Chibuzo! Mmesoma is here!
Jesus oh! Who am I?
Jesus! Chibuzo?
Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
Jesus oh! Jesus oh!
Nna any? Mmesoma is here!
Hey! Mmesoma is here!
Go call your daddy, go call your daddy!
My baby is here!
My baby. My baby.
Hey! Jesus! Nna, is it you?
Is this you?
Is it you? Is it really you?
Jesus! Jesus!
Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!
Oh, my baby's here, since morning...
You almost killed me.
We cannot kill you, oh!
Oh, my baby's here.
Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome.
[Ifeoma] Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God!
Jesus, I thank you oh!
Oh, my God. Nna, look at me.
- Turn your back.
- Jesus.
- Nnam, oh!
- He's bigger.
My baby's back home! My baby's back home!
My baby's back home! Hey!
Mmesoma is back. Come and see Mmesoma.
Hey! Mmesoma is back oh.
- Hey, look at this boy.
- Everybody see my son.
My son is back home!
My son is... My son is...
- Jesus!
- Mmeso, Mmeso!
My son is back! My son is back!
My son is back!
Oh, my God, I have sore throat.
My son is back.
My son is back home.
My son is back. Nna!
Is this you? Hey!
Let me feed my boy.
Mm. [chuckles]
I don't see anyone else but you.
Father, as we're about
to go to bed now, O Lord,
I beg you to protect us
so that we sleep and wake
tomorrow morning safe and sound.
[sniffles]
[Ifeoma] You have a headache?
No headache, it's just hot.
- That's Nigerian weather for you.
- No, it's terrible.
It's worse than I thought it would be.
[Ifeoma] What?
It's worse than I thought it's gonna be.
[Ifeoma] When the itching starts,
it keeps you uncomfortable, right?
Kind of.
[Ifeoma] Okay.
Do the eyedrops help?
Yeah.
I'm very sorry.
That time, I really felt bad.
- It's fine.
- Mmm?
It's fine.
Okay.
[distant chatter]
Please, when you go back,
try to be applying it always, okay?
I'll keep reminding you.
I'll keep reminding you of that, yeah?
Can you come
and train with me on the field?
- You must come.
- No, not today.
Today, you must come.
No.
Why?
What do you mean why?
[somber music playing]
[coach] So, let's go. The walk.
[whistle blows]
[spirited chatter]
[music continues to play]
[vehicles honking]
[somber music playing]
[Ifeoma] Before you go back to the UK,
I want you to make peace
with your brother.
He's just a little boy,
that you have to manage him.
A little boy?
He's 12, for goodness' sake.
Start talking with him now,
because I'm going inside.
I have something to do inside.
I'm entering inside.
[somber music playing]
This stage you are now, that's the stage.
- That is it, you will outgrow it.
- You will control it.
Teenagers, it happens to them.
Whenever you enter teenage,
once in a while,
you just get annoyed for no reason.
No, I need a therapist,
and I can't find anyone here.
- [Ifeoma] You need?
- A therapist.
- [Ifeoma] What is a therapist?
- People that help you with your problems.
- [Ifeoma] Can't I help you?
- No.
Tony...
Don't worry, I'll take you to my prophet.
- [Anthony] I do not need your prophet.
- You need him.
[Anthony] I need a therapist,
not a prophet.
- You need him.
- [Anthony] No, I don't!
There's nothing God cannot do.
I need a therapist,
not a prophet, thank you.
[Raymond] Look at me,
and don't move it. Tony!
I shake when I get annoyed.
- Listen, all eyes are on you now.
- [Ifeoma] Yes.
[Ifeoma] Listen, do you know that
this thing is giving me much concern?
It's also giving me concern.
- [Raymond] Tony, take it easy.
- [Ifeoma] Why won't you help me?
- I'm trying... No!
- [Raymond] Excuse me, take it easy.
Finding this type of anger in you is bad.
It's really bad.
[Anthony] Well, it's bad
if I can't control it myself.
[Raymond] We're trying
to put you in order.
You're trying to tell us that--
I'm also trying to put myself in order.
If you don't keep repeating everything
over and over again
when I've already said it.
[Raymond] No, no, no, no, Tony...
- No, no.
- Come. It's your mom.
- [sobs]
- It's me, it's fine.
Now you're making me cry, it's fine.
It's fine, it's fine.
It's fine.
It's fine.
It's fine, it's fine.
It's fine. It's fine.
[somber music playing]
[music continues to play]
[somber music playing]
- [teacher] Anthony.
- Yes, Ms. McComish.
- [teacher] Killian.
- [Killian] Yes, Ms. McComish.
Marshall. Molly.
[man over speaker]
Um, how are we going to resolve this?
I'm aware that some of you,
this will be your first time
performing for Elmhurst.
So, we're just going to run
this one continuously
until we get it right.
This is an important performance.
This is why you're here.
[energetic orchestral score plays]
Standing by, year eight! Are we ready?
All project...
To the back of the theater,
keep your eye-line raised.
Good, good. Well done.
[Anthony] My eye's going
to maybe end my career.
[woman] You guys have learnt a new skill
for this end-of-year show, haven't you?
It's about partner work and teamwork.
So, guys, what would you say
is the most important thing
when you're working on partner work?
[boy] Listening to your partner
and adapting to what she wants.
I love that. So, communication.
[girl] Making sure that we're both
quite happy with what we're doing.
[instructor] I love that, yeah.
Happy with what you're doing.
Yeah, you really got to engage those legs,
really engage those toes.
Hard work.
Down in one count, arms forward, lovely.
Wow, you're going, you're saying,
"Look at my lovely work."
Your end-of-year show is a celebration.
And all the brilliant work you've done.
You should be really proud
of what you've done this year.
Six, seven, eight, present.
All right, same one, present.
Yes!
Not bad. Not brilliant, but not bad.
Le paire!
Up!
[classical music playing]
Oh, yeah. And one, two...
Relev. And...
I used to drive my bike down here
and up there to school.
This place is pretty quiet.
- Yeah, it's pretty nice, isn't it?
- Yeah.
I love quiet places.
[grunts]
Oh, no.
Picasso!
Happy birthday, Dear Anthony!
Happy birthday to you!
[Sam] Hip, hip, hooray!
Hip, hip, hooray!
Come on, blow your candle.
Make a wish.
[toothbrushes whirr]
[Sam chuckles]
[Sam] What're you doin'?
[Anthony] Fluffy ears, flyin'.
- [Sam] It's like wings.
- [Anthony] Yeah.
- [Sam] You need to put your eyedrops on.
- [Anthony] Yeah.
- [Sam] Wanna do that now?
- [Anthony] Yes.
[Sam] Okay.
[melancholy music playing]
[instructor] So, this is the first time
you've done a bigger production?
- [Anthony] Yes.
- There's a lot of people running around,
but you've got to keep calm
- because you got to perform, yeah?
- Yeah.
[instructor]
So, when you take your position...
[Anthony] Yeah.
...do you feel a bit dizzy sometimes?
- Um, yeah.
- Yes.
So, what do you do to try
and make that not so difficult for you?
Have you got a little
kind of technique you use?
- No... but...
- Okay.
Five, six, seven and eight.
But that's got to be strong, hasn't it?
But-- yes. Okay.
Then the girls come in and we lift.
Are you really clear about what happens?
Can you see her waist very clearly?
Okay? Strong middle.
Strong size. Off you go.
And pretend. And up.
- Can you actually see the last person?
- Yeah.
- You can?
- Yeah.
So, you're aware of that
and you're using your...
left eye to see.
We step to the side,
Uh, then like we held hands and go...
- Yes.
- Yes.
But you got support there.
- So that isn't an issue?
- No.
No. So, you've actually found ways
around everything, haven't you?
That's because you're quite clever.
[laughs]
And you're going to keep in one piece.
And feel that alignment.
Oh! There you go, three.
And what was that, because you were
- really focused, weren't you?
- Yes.
Yes. Shoulders. Finish.
- [Sam] Let me see.
- You don't want to see.
I want to see this.
- No, don't, no.
- No, you look nice.
- No, I don't...
- Yes, you do.
I think it can be like,
basically I can't even see myself...
Oh, wow, it's really big, isn't it?
- It makes my eye big.
- Wait, open your eye.
- No, just the eye.
- Wow.
[laughs]
- I love it.
- Nah.
[Marshall] Do you think it's gonna, like,
affect maybe your dance career?
Or doesn't it, like, concern you?
Yeah, it does.
[Marshall] But maybe if you, like,
keep working
and working and working.
It probably won't make it, like,
go away, but it might
help you do pirouettes a bit more.
[Anthony] I've actually been
practicing doing pirouettes
- with my eyes closed.
- [Marshall] That was good, so...
[Sam] That was actually really good.
[Anthony] Even if I'm not gonna
be able to see,
I know my front, my back and my sides.
- [Marshall] Yeah, it won't be bad.
- Yeah.
[Sam] Yeah.
[bright music playing]
[Anthony] I ask myself if I'm going
to be really great at dancing.
And sometimes I don't think
I have what it takes.
All the times that I got bullied...
[sighs]
But I didn't give up then,
so I don't see why I should give up now.
[vocalizing]
[bright music playing]
[woman] Are you nervous now?
[girl] I'm mostly excited for the show.
[woman] Do you know
when your parents are coming?
[girl] I think they're coming later.
[heavy drapes rustle]
[soft music playing]
[music starting to get louder]
[Anthony] Sometimes I close my eye,
imagine myself on the big stage.
[adventurous music playing]
[motivational music playing]
[music continues to play]
[music continues to play]
Wow.
[bright music playing]
[birds chirping]
[man] I thought you did very well
in the summer show.
Did you get that adrenaline rush?
Remember, it's a snapshot.
You get to show all that
you've achieved over the year.
I think you have improved
on your postural alignment,
and the other thing is that
you love to move.
You really love--
I've seen it
from the first time you joined
- that you really love moving and dancing.
- Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
[man] Now, there is quite a big jump
from year eight to nine.
It's not just the steps that get harder,
but it's the intensity.
And it's also the expectation
and the requirements. Yeah?
That I think maybe you could try
just to push a little bit more, okay?
But I think it's trying to keep calm.
Maybe because of what's
happened to you in the past,
there's that element of panic,
that very slight... [huffs] Okay?
But remember that you're
in a very safe environment here.
[woman] That's what
I said to you, isn't it?
[man] It's very safe here,
nothing is gonna come to harm.
- See you in year nine.
- See you.
[indistinct chatter]
You okay?
You all right?
So, you're gonna text me?
- Not at midnight, though.
- No.
That's what you usually do.
I mean, that's because
I'm always awake at midnight.
[Emily] Yeah.
- [Sam] It's so...
- [Omarian] Ah, this is awkward.
It doesn't go-- Look.
- All right. So...
- Thank you.
Yeah.
I'm gonna miss you, Anthony.
I'll miss you, Sam.
Eight weeks, great.
- Eight weeks.
- Yeah.
See you. See you in eight weeks.
Eight weeks! Ah.
That's what you get. Bye.
- [woman] Bye, Anthony.
- Bye, Anthony.
[Anthony] Bye.
[woman] Have a safe journey home.
Tell Picasso I said hi.
- [woman] Tell who?
- Picasso.
[woman] I will do!
Yeah.
If you can move like that...
[waves crashing]
[bright music playing]
Dancing is kind of like a way
of telling your story,
about how you feel.
Sometimes I express joy.
Sometimes I express pain.
It's kind of like letting go of...
the anger in me and like the...
sadness in me.
- [Ifeoma] Is it paining you?
- [Anthony] It is kind of.
- [Ifeoma] It is? Sorry.
- [Anthony] Yes.
Ow.
Sorry, now. Are you a baby?
No, it's these ones that are hurting now.
- [Ifeoma] Is it tight?
- [Anthony] A bit.
- Huh?
- A bit.
How did you learn to speak
this type of British English?
How... I just know how to do it,
I just know how to speak it.
Like, normal.
Do you still know how to speak Igbo?
I never knew how to speak Igbo.
[Ifeoma] You're not ashamed of yourself?
Sorry, I never knew how to speak it.
[Ifeoma] Are you not from Igboland?
[clears throat] I will teach you.
Right from now,
I'll be speaking Igbo to you.
- But you can understand it, right?
- Yeah.
Ow.
[Ifeoma] Sorry.
[bright music playing]
[distant teacher's voice]
[music continues to play]
[Anthony] I don't exactly know
where my home is right now.
[dramatic music playing]
[music continues to play]
- [Chisom] Have you been here before?
- [Anthony] No.
[Chisom] I come here
to play football sometimes.
[Anthony] Mmm.
Mostly on Saturday morning.
[Anthony] I would say home is a place
where you feel like you belong
and where you feel peaceful.
But I wouldn't say that
without my family being in it.
When are you guys going back to school?
[Chisom] On Monday, next week.
- Are you good at maths?
- Mmm, yeah.
- You're not good at maths.
- I'm good at maths, but not like that.
- How are you coping in your grades?
- Very well.
- Mmm.
- Yes.
I heard that you got zero on your exam.
Huh?
Can you jump from here?
[Anthony] If you ask me that question,
I'm going to kill you.
[soft chuckle]
Yeah.
[Ifeoma] Father, make him
the professional ballet dancer
that he always dreamed of.
Please, help him to achieve his dreams
in the mighty name of Jesus.
[bright music playing]
[motivational music playing]
[upbeat pop music playing]
[male vocalist singing]
[music continues to play]
[music continues to play]
[music ends]
[orchestral music playing]
[music continues to play]
[percussive music continues]
[energetic voices singing]
[distant light traffic]
[teacher] How are you all?
Fine. Thank you, sir. And you?
[teacher] I'm good. Sit down.
Proper noun
is a general name given
to a person, place...
- or?
- [students] Things!
- [teacher] Collective!
- Noun!
[teacher] Noun. And what, abstract?
Noun!
[playful chatter]
Sorry.
Why's he dancing like a girl?
[Anthony] Sometimes I close my eyes
and imagine myself on a big stage.
[classical violin plays]
I was 5 years old
when I discovered ballet.
Ballet is not accepted in Nigeria.
People think that it's not for boys.
Take it easy, slow down.
[Anthony] But I don't listen to them.
I just keep dancing.
[man] ...heads and down!
Everybody keep working
to get down together.
If we're not being as constant,
we've not started.
Six. Five, and six, and seven and go.
[Anthony] It's my dream,
and I have to follow it.
[man] ...and two, and three, and four.
[phone ringing]
[woman over voicemail]
Hi, Mrs. Madu.
We wanted to talk to you
about Anthony, your son.
We saw him on Instagram and on the news.
It was amazing that that video went viral.
You can see that passion.
That's what really came across.
For me, it's the fire in the belly.
He's just definitely got this
hunger for it, hasn't he?
He had so much raw talent
that we are interested in at the school.
- You must be very proud.
- I'm very proud of him.
It's kind of exciting, but daunting,
thinking about your little boy
so far away from home.
- How long will you stay?
- I don't know.
[somber music playing]
[distant light traffic]
[vehicles honking]
[Ifeoma] My baby, calm down.
Calm down, we will make it.
My hand is shaking, open it fast.
- Ah!
- Is it there? Is it there?
That's it! That's it, that's it!
Hey! Thank God!
Are those my eyebrows? They look funny.
Look, see how beautiful your smile is.
Fat. I'm fat oh.
You have full cheeks.
- And I like that.
- The Child Student.
Child Student. Madu Mmesoma Anthony.
Chisom will miss you too much.
Your brother is going to miss you.
[soft laugh]
Wow.
[bright music playing]
We gather in the name of the Father,
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Redeemer, we thank you.
We worship you. We glorify your name.
Father, we are here to thank you more
for what you have done for us.
- You surprise us with good news.
- [Ifeoma] Yes, Lord.
- May your holy name be honored.
- Amen.
- May your holy name be glorified.
- Amen.
- May your holy name be praised...
- Amen.
- in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Amen.
[Ifeoma] Thank God
for everything He has done.
[metal clanking]
[Raymond] But if it is like this...
you can tight it more.
You can loose it, too.
One day, my son started dancing.
I thought it was maybe a kind of hobby,
of no benefit.
But as time goes on,
I started thinking that in this thing
is something that one has
to embrace, accept, appreciate.
Unfortunately, the place
they were training was not safe.
It's in a dangerous place.
We decided to withdraw him.
And I'm grateful God has given him
the opportunity to be there.
You put this one, remove this nut here.
You use this thing.
Seriously?
- Chisom.
- Hmm.
What happened?
You haven't been talking to me.
[sniffles]
[Ifeoma]
I feel for the younger one,
'cause they are just like twins.
They are always together.
Now that he's going,
I don't know how he will feel.
I'm happy that he's traveling,
but also, I'm having feelings
for the younger one.
[sighs]
[dramatic music playing]
I can't believe that I'm going
to be schooling in England
for seven years.
It's a great opportunity.
These are my winter caps, as they say.
And... yeah.
I'm actually happy to leave this school
because of the bullying and everything.
At least it's going to stop.
My mom is going to miss me the most.
I'm very, very close to her.
And... yeah.
We always talk together.
And also my brother.
Always... sometimes we have issues,
but sometimes, we do talk
to each other, so...
[small engine starts]
[air hisses]
[Raymond] The tire is gone.
If you have just small money,
change the tire.
If money comes, I will do it.
If there's money,
- I'm supposed to change this machine.
- Mm-hmm.
But there's no money.
How are your children?
- All of them are fine.
- Hope they are fine.
My son, he got a scholarship.
- Over there?
- He got a scholarship abroad.
Who will take him there?
- His God and the White man.
- The White man? Ah.
So, it's only dance that takes him there?
- Only dance.
- I thank God.
Okay. Thank you, sir.
It's just the same thing.
- The same afro you barbed last time.
- [stylist] Okay.
[razor whirring]
[Raymond] I dreamed that I died.
I started thinking,
if I died, who will bury me?
Who will take me to home?
But since I have the good news of my son,
if I die tomorrow,
I will die in good faith.
No more fear.
[Anthony] The promise I'm making
to my mom and my family is...
I will never let them down.
For he's a jolly good fellow
High five. Give me a high five.
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
And so say all of us
Hip, hip, hip, hooray!
No, no, no, you should wait!
I've seen this coming
years back when I lost my dad.
I prophesied that
it would come, and it came.
Yes. And that day, he danced there.
And he gave me
a special dance at my father's burial.
So, because of that, I say, "J"!
[all] J!
- E!
- [all] E!
- S!
- S!
- U!
- U!
- Safe journey!
- Yes.
S!
[all] Jesus!
- Oya, take, take, take.
- Mmesoma, it's me that...
I will miss you! I will miss my baby!
Eat, eat, eat, eat.
[indistinct happy chatter]
Oya, rub my tummy, rub my tummy!
[playful chatter]
- Mommy, thank you, thank you, thank you.
- See you.
- See you. Catch you.
- Bye-bye.
See my head.
Go to bed.
Tomorrow, we are leaving early.
Nna, good night.
Your last night with us here.
No good nights?
[Anthony] Mommy, good night.
All right. Good night. Have a sweet dream.
[Anthony] Okay.
You know that today is the last time
we'll sit together like this?
After now, you start going to the airport.
I will really miss you.
But I'm happy for you, hmm?
[sobs]
I'm happy for you, my son.
Thank you for making me proud.
The only thing
I'm begging you is to please
know what you go there to do. Hmm?
Know what you go there to do.
Don't forget where you're coming from.
Please, don't forget
where you're coming from.
- I will miss you a lot.
- Me, too.
Your siblings will miss you.
- Me, too.
- Your daddy will miss you.
- [Ifeoma] Anthony!
- [Anthony] Ma!
All right, let's go. It's time.
Let's go.
Someone should turn off the lights.
Make sure you lock the door very well.
Anthony's going to the airport!
[man] Safe journey, yeah?
Be a good boy, yeah?
[Ifeoma] You're a good boy, yeah?
Remember your mother, please.
[man] Not much time.
[Ifeoma] My baby. [crying]
I will miss you. I'll miss you, my boy.
[woman] We have to correct
everything by hand.
Do bear with us. We're a bit slow,
but we try to be as quick as we can.
[man] ...he loves you.
It's not... He's not lost.
You've not lost him.
He's not missing, he's just traveling.
Don't worry.
Once he lands, he will call you.
Okay, is that what happened? Don't worry.
[pilot] Ladies and gentlemen,
the front aircraft door is now closed
in preparation
for our departure and cross-check.
[dramatic music playing]
[sighs]
Hey, na!
Are you missing your brother? Hmm?
Don't worry, yeah?
He'll be reaching soon. They will call.
[sniffs]
[pilot] For those of you visiting,
welcome to the United Kingdom
and London's Heathrow Airport.
[indistinct announcement over PA]
[inspirational music playing]
[woman]
We auditioned 527 young people
for a place at Elmhurst.
And actually, for every
young person sat in the room,
there's ten other people behind you
that would love to be sat where you are.
So, I want you just to remember
how amazing it is that you got here.
Let's put our hands together
for our new students.
[inspirational music playing]
[phone beeps]
Mmesoma!
- Hello, Mommy, good afternoon.
- Nna!
- How are you?
- Fine.
- You're in your school now?
- Yes.
Oh, my boy!
Is this your room?
- This is my bed.
- London boy! London boy!
- And my table.
- I like your house.
Thank you.
- Have you eaten?
- Yes, Ma.
- You're okay?
- Yes.
[Anthony] Call you later this evening.
- [Ifeoma] Call me, let's talk, yeah?
- [Anthony] Okay.
- Bye-bye, my dear.
- Bye-bye.
I'm going to be living with a lot of kids
that I've never met before.
And... yeah.
I'm concerned if, maybe, I may not fit in.
[piano playing]
[instructor] And set.
Just slowly a la seconde.
Two-- a tiny bit quicker.
Three. Four. And show that allong.
[piano continues to play]
That's a fourth.
If it hurts, you stop.
If you feel a warm feeling
in your muscles,
that's a good feeling.
If it goes to a burn,
that's not a so-good feeling.
[ticking beat playing]
Keep pushing up. Up.
You can stop if you feel
that it hurts too much.
[indistinct chatter]
[classical orchestral music playing]
[distant playful chatter]
[boy] Do you want to play?
No.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
[bright music playing]
[soft sniffles]
[soft sniffle]
[instructor] Relev.
Other side.
So, I'm gonna restrict
those hips a little bit.
Yes. So, you can keep them
absolutely where they need to be.
You feel this is a little bit harder now?
Yeah? There we go.
So, you've got to use
your muscles to control that.
Don't worry about me. I'm out of the way.
Strong in your center, boys!
That's it.
One more a la seconde!
All right, all right.
Anthony.
Just gonna borrow you a second.
So, it's learning to manipulate this.
Now what happens
is you're quite good at correcting it,
but then you sort of get carried away
and sort of goes, oh, back again here.
So, it's maintaining that.
It's a lot of strength!
Yeah?
Shouldn't be any mistakes.
If you think this is hard,
wait until the summer show.
We'll start doing more complicated stuff.
It gets much more intense.
[indistinct chatter]
[sniffles]
[sniffling continues]
[Anthony] Some people,
they say that I'll never make it.
What if they're saying the truth?
Every time I think about the way
I've been bullied for years,
it makes me feel very, very bad.
And it makes me not respond to people
the way I'm supposed to.
Yeah, I used to be like...
I just want to be alone.
Yeah.
[sniffles]
[clicks tongue] Duh...
What my-- what my mind tells me
is that sometimes...
just everything is going to be fine.
Hello, Mommy, good evening.
Good evening, dear. How are you?
You're feeling all right now, right?
Yeah.
Good.
Remember our deal.
Be a good boy, okay?
You know we have a deal?
- You made a promise, right?
- Yeah.
Always remember
where you're coming from, yeah?
Yeah.
In the morning before stepping out,
you pray, okay?
Yeah. Yeah.
We are also praying for you here.
Yeah.
- Don't forget, okay?
- Yes, Mom. Yes, Mom.
Come and say hello to Anthony.
Hi.
It looks like it.
Where are you now?
- At home.
- You did what?
You're now speaking like a White person.
- I only--
- You're talking with your mom, please.
[chuckles]
You're still coloring?
- Yeah.
- Show me.
[Anthony] This guy's en pointe.
- [Sam] Oh, yeah.
- [Anthony] Black one's shoes.
[Anthony] Yeah, just first position.
Oh, is it like showing you
all the positions?
Yeah. This is like sissonne.
Where'd you get this from?
- Um... [indistinct]
- Wow.
[chuckles]
- That's actually really cool.
- Yeah.
Good night.
Is Bob Marley Nigerian?
[Anthony] Bob Marley? I think so.
[Sam] Yeah, I like Bob Marley.
- [Anthony] Yeah?
- [Sam] Yeah.
- [Anthony] Good night.
- [Sam] Good night.
[Anthony] Good night, Sam.
[woman] Five, six, seven, go.
[vocalizing]
That was so fun.
Can you teach us some Nigerian?
- How?
- Just like, tell us some words.
What's "hi" in Nigerian?
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Yeah. It's the same thing.
- Exactly same?
Yeah.
Look at Sam. I sent it to my mom.
And he just snapped a cheeky
picture of me!
I'll send this to my mom.
[Marshall] Basically, Anthony,
when I pass to you or Bert,
you're gonna shoot it.
You know how to kick the ball?
There you go.
Nice, Anthony.
Go, go!
Nice.
[boys laughing]
[man over TV] Like much of Europe,
the later Anglo-Saxons
developed a way of determining proof
which used the power of the elements,
of water and of fire.
If you were suspected of a crime,
you were subjected to a ritualized
but painful and dangerous test:
trial by ordeal.
- How long...
- [man over TV] No!
No!
We're then gonna be looking
at crime and punishment
in an era we call the Renaissance
or Rebirth era, 'cause it's French,
which is 200 years, 1500 to 1700.
Then we're gonna look
at the 18th and 19th century.
[fading] And then lastly, we're gonna
look at crime and punishment
in modern Britain.
Could you please just make a note...
I can't actually see what's on the board.
[woman] ...those eras in your book.
No, not that one.
[instructor, sing-song]
Low demi plie. One, a two.
Stretch three, a four.
And five, six.
Seven and eight.
Rise. One, two.
Lower. Three, four.
Dgag a la seconde. Six.
Lower. Seven, eight.
All right. Tendus.
Thank you.
Open your eyes, Anthony.
Your eyes are very, very important.
It's a better idea not to--
It's aching me.
- [instructor] Sorry?
- My eyes are aching me.
- [instructor] Your eyes are aching a bit?
- Yeah.
Oh, okay. I'm sorry to hear that.
- Has that been all morning?
- Yeah.
- Okay. Did you sleep okay last night?
- Yeah.
When-- how long ago did you,
um, land in this country?
- You know, when, when was it--
- [Anthony] Two weeks ago.
- Two weeks ago? Okay.
- Two weeks. Yeah.
[instructor] So, you... it's probably
maybe getting used to
a different country
and its different climate
and the different air
and food and all of this.
It might have an effect.
If you're worried, then we go
to the Health and Wellbeing
Center later, okay?
All right, boss.
Thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you...
- [door creaks]
- Thank you.
[soft clacking sounds]
- [woman] You okay?
- [Anthony] Yep.
[woman] Just relax.
[woman] Can you read the smallest line
that's clear for you there for me?
[Anthony] Um...
K, R, N?
[woman] Can you try, kind of guess
any of the ones on the line below?
- [Anthony] Not really.
- [woman] Not really.
That's absolutely fine.
[man] There's gonna be
some light coming in.
Okay, just straight ahead for a second.
That's the hard bit,
keeping your head still.
You're doing a perfect job. That's good.
Well done.
At some point, you've had a...
a sort of germ, if you'd like,
called toxoplasmosis,
and that's what's affected the retina
at the back of your eyes.
Hard to know exactly when.
It might have been shortly before
or after you were born.
And the retina is the bit in your eye
that works like a camera,
like the film in a camera
or like the chip in a camera.
So, it's the bit that turns
the light into a message.
[distant] Right one.
Your eyes are very, very important.
[ominous music rises]
[traffic sounds]
[phone chimes]
- Thank you, ma.
- Thank you. Bye-bye.
Bye-bye, ma. Hello?
[woman] He was seen by a local optician,
and his condition is quite longstanding.
He doesn't seem to have
very much sight at all
in his right eye,
so he's been referred to the NHS,
to a specialist doctor.
In the meantime,
we have a teacher coming in, Judith,
and, um, she's going to start
working with Anthony
on a one-to-one basis.
And we've got a mental health
nurse that he can access
if he needs that.
[Ifeoma] What is the problem?
What can cause those scars there?
[Anthony] Like when they took--
when they took--
when they took a picture,
like, they took a photo behind, like,
kind of like, at the back of my eye.
Yeah.
- Don't worry, you'll be fine, yeah?
- Yeah.
- Mmm?
- Yeah.
I mean, like, it's gonna
really disturb me sometimes.
I hope you are not afraid.
Hmm. I am.
Why?
Because there might be a point where
I can't be able to kind of, like, dance.
- Are you serious?
- Yeah.
It might be--
I'm afraid, like, it's gonna be...
it's gonna affect me in my dance.
Oh, my God.
- Don't worry. You'll be fine, okay?
- Yeah.
There's nothing God cannot do.
God will not allow this eye
to be a problem for your future.
[Anthony] It's actually my fault.
I'm really quiet when I'm sad.
I do not like talking to anyone.
So, when it started,
I didn't exactly tell her.
What if you can't do anything?
What if you can't dance anymore?
I worry because of this,
they'll send me back to Nigeria.
Yes. Up.
Right, bring your leg forward.
And, yes. Up, up, hold that core.
[Anthony] If I...
really quickly...
[instructor] Yeah.
[Anthony] ...it affects
my eyes, and like...
Ah, okay. All right. I understand.
But the thing is that we don't
want to spin really, do we?
- We want to turn on a balance point.
- Yeah.
[Anthony] I have to work really hard
so that I'm gonna be
at the same place that they are.
[motivational music playing]
I have two sisters, both older.
Oh. Nice.
I get along with them,
but one of them's really annoying.
[chuckles]
She's... yeah.
She's nice, but, yeah.
[Anthony] My brother is 11.
- So, he's really close to you.
- Not exactly.
We don't really get along.
Do you get along with your sister, though?
Yeah, pretty much.
Who's your roommate?
- Samuel.
- Samuel.
Yeah, he's pretty funny.
Sometimes at night,
he could be... literally...
[cheers and applause]
- [Anthony] Look at the graffiti.
- [Sam] That's so cool.
[Sam] Wow. It's like Ninja Turtles.
- Look at that!
- Oh, no.
I'm, like, really scared of heights.
Look at that one.
That one looks so weird.
This, and this, and this...
[Emily] Sam, what is this?
"All that we see or seem,
is but a dream within a dream."
[Anthony] I really miss my family.
What did your mom really
want you to do and stuff?
Yeah, she really wants me to dance.
[Omarian] So, is she your,
like, best supporter?
[Anthony] She's supported me
really, really well.
Omarian, Omarian, Omarian.
Please, could you get your head...?
[chuckling]
Please, could you get
your head out of the w...
[Omarian] How deep
is your love for your mum?
- From the range from one to hundred?
- [Anthony] Hundred.
Then that same day, I was doing like this.
Mr. Grundy was like,
"Are you in a band or something?"
I was like, "No!"
I didn't have friends back in Nigeria,
so I was focused in dancing.
But, like, people
started making fun of me.
[Omarian] How did you feel
when they started to tease you?
[Anthony] When I remember those days,
I'll be like,
Anthony in those days, and Anthony now...
[Sam] It's like Greece, isn't it?
- Ancient.
- Yeah.
Imagine being inside a wedding cake.
[Emily] It's like
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
[Sam] Oh, yeah.
[Emily] Seven, five, nine, what?
[Sam] 79528.
Anthony] Swan Lake.
The Nutcracker.
[Emily] Five, four,
three, two...
Oh, my God!
- No.
- This is cool.
No. I'm really scared.
No, no, no, no, no. [gasps]
- [Emily] We're going back up.
- [Anthony] Don't spin it.
Do not spin it. Do not spin it.
I need to come down.
No, I need to come down.
No! Ahh!
[giggling]
So, you're not brushing your hair?
Ow, ow, ow!
[Sam] You all right?
- Yeah.
- What's happened?
No, it's just the back
of my head. It's like...
- Knotty?
- Yeah.
[synth-flavored "Nutcracker" score plays]
[applause]
Oh, my God.
[Anthony shouts]
[man] Come over. Let's go center stage.
So, when you're at school
and you're performing,
and your teachers are telling you
to look out and beyond, imagine this.
- Yeah? Imagine this.
- [girl] Yeah.
[Anthony] What is it gonna take
for me to be like you?
[man] What's it gonna take? Well...
[Anthony] Because I want to be
a principal dancer.
I believe all of you will be able to do it
with lots of hard work,
determination, passion.
But if I had to give any words of wisdom,
it's to be who you are. Yeah?
'Cause there's only one of you.
So, it's being individual,
it's performing and resonating
and telling your story to that audience
who are coming to the theater to see you.
[woman vocalizing]
...up at five in the morning
I wake up and fight for my earnings
Fear in my mind is a warning
Pray to the one you rely in
[lyrics continue indistinctly]
[song ends]
[woman] Well done. Really nice.
It kind of flows naturally out of you.
You don't have to use much effort
to choreograph, I think, yeah?
Did you have improvisation in there?
- Yes.
- You did have improvisation.
And that ending part was improvisation.
[woman] That's, again,
- that's really hard to do.
- Yeah.
- I'd like to know, did you have a story?
- Yeah.
Um, I didn't really have a story,
but, like, my sister, she like,
played the music, so basically, yeah.
Even if you at first aren't
aware of it, it could be--
for you, for instance--
it could be the emotion
you've attached to your sister.
- [Anthony] Mm-hmm.
- And that's what we see...
'cause I can see something
in what you're doing.
It's imagery, it's flicking from,
I don't know, one picture
to another in your mind
as you're doing things.
A good story for you
could be something from home
which attaches a feeling
to what you're doing.
So, maybe consider that next time.
Pinpoint your story,
and that'll allow you
to keep your character
from the beginning all the way to the end.
- Sure.
- Yeah?
[Sam] Know what you're gonna do
for Christmas?
Obviously gonna be staying in the UK.
I wish I was going back home to Nigeria.
We didn't have enough money for visa
and flight ticket and stuff like that.
[Sam] Bet you miss your mom all the time.
Seriously, it's more than hard.
- It's harder than you think, actually.
- Yeah.
- Bye.
- Bye. I'm just gonna miss you.
[Sam muffled] I'm going to miss you.
[Raymond] The way I see Anthony,
I see him as a light for the family.
I miss him so much that
at times I'll forget that he's not here.
[classical music playing]
[music continues to play]
Good morning, nne! [laughs]
Happy New Year.
[singing cheerful music]
How did you spend your Christmas there?
Was it fun?
- It was boring. Felt like this, but...
- [Anthony] Yeah.
[Anthony, laughingly] Shut up!
[chuckles]
- Are you missing home?
- Yeah.
[Ifeoma] Have you seen your eye doctor?
[Anthony] I think I'm going
for the second one later.
Hello? Mmesoma.
How are you?
[Ifeoma] Your lips are very dry.
Do you have wet lips?
Wear lipstick, a red one.
[laughter]
[Ifeoma] What is wrong with him?
[laughs]
[stylist] We've gotta get you
looking fresh, isn't it?
So, how long you been here for now?
Thirtieth of this month
will make it half a year.
Okay. So, you're enjoying
- your time here, though?
- Yeah. Yeah.
I'll bet you miss the food
from back home, don't you?
- Yeah.
- And your mom's cooking?
Yeah. I can just imagine.
I can just imagine.
Bet your family must be
exceptionally proud of you, though.
[Anthony] Yeah.
[stylist] Excuse me
for taking my time, Anthony.
I'm a perfectionist,
probably like you as well.
- Where you wanna get everything correct.
- Yeah.
[stylist] I'm very much like that.
I take pride in my work,
like I suppose you take pride in yours.
Final touches on our hair,
and you can continue
with the rest of your life.
[chuckles]
[instructor] Better keep your shoulders.
And finish. Now up.
That's getting better.
Look at that elegant line. Now keep it.
Doesn't matter. Yeah?
[Marshall] What're you
gonna do after dinner?
- [Anthony] Oh, God, you know.
- [Marshall] Ohh.
- How'd you get juice?
- [Marshall] He just gave me one.
Wait.
Wait...
What're you giving to, um... who is it?
- Shut up.
- [Marshall] What?
I mean, like, she's actually
right behind you,
so basically...
I mean, yeah.
- [Marshall] So, what happened before?
- [Sam] We wanna know.
No.
[Sam] So, you're not gonna tell?
You're not gonna tell your best friends
how it went with your crush?
No!
- You got this. You got this.
- [Anthony] Huh?
- [Sam] Was it awkward?
- [Anthony] No!
- [Sam] Did it go bad?
- [Marshall] Madu's keeping a secret.
- I don't want to talk about it.
- Yeah, I think you're keeping...
Are you keeping a secret, Anthony?
Did you ask her out? Did she say yeah?
- No.
- [vocalizing]
- I don't even know...
- [Marshall] You do know how to dance.
[Anthony] What kind of dance?
It's only ballet I know how to do.
[Marshall] No, you know like,
street and stuff.
[vocalizing]
[indistinct chatter]
Not doing this. No.
There's no need to be nervous.
[Anthony] Oh, God.
[coughs]
- [clears throat]
- [Emily] Hey.
No.
Sorry, um, yeah. Hello.
So, yep, so...
Basically, I kind of like,
wanted to say
thank you for, you know,
being a good friend.
And like... basically, yeah...
You are kind of like the only real friend
I've ever had, basically.
Yeah, like, so that's why
I got you these for Valentine's.
- Oh. Thank you. That's so sweet.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- They're so pretty.
- Thank you. Yeah.
- Thank you.
I just saw them on the shelf,
and, like, basically, I remembered.
- Aw, thank you.
- Yeah.
I... Yeah.
Oh, my gosh, seriously.
- Really nervous.
- Don't worry.
- Was it bad?
- No!
[Marshall] It looked like it was good,
from my perspective.
It was really good.
- Seriously?
- Yeah.
So cold.
Come on, Marshall can be your wingman.
He's got loads of ladies.
Don't get embarrassed. It's a good thing.
- No!
- Yeah, it is really good.
- I thought you and Lulu were dating.
- [Marshall] No.
I swear you got her a birthday present.
Yeah. That's just friendship.
[giggles]
- [laughter]
- Wait. Wait, wait, wait.
- You know the last time we went to Aldi?
- Aldi, yeah?
I got an ice lolly,
and I gave it to Ms. Lester,
and it's still in her freezer.
I don't know how to ask her
to collect it back.
Just, "Ms. Lester, please,
can I have my ice lolly, please?"
[Marshall] Are you getting ready
for the summer show, mate?
[boy] Getting ready already?
We have a full week of dance. Like, two.
- [Sam] Two weeks?
- [boy] Two weeks of dance.
- You excited for it?
- Mm-hmm.
- [boy] Everyone is.
- Mmm.
[Anthony] It's gonna be
a lot of hard work.
The biggest show I've ever been here.
Just a bit... nervous.
[instructor] Okay. Settle down.
Nice and awake?
- [class] Yeah. Yeah.
- [instructor] Yeah? Lots of energy?
[instructor]
Rehearsals on stage on Monday.
Yeah? You're getting used
to the lights and everything?
[orchestral music plays]
Don't get too close together, girls.
Make sure you're right behind. Yeah.
Watch out, Miss Lindsay!
Listen to the music, guys. Okay.
Spacing was really good.
That's better. Yeah.
You were just a little bit
too close when you were...
Don't be scared about
getting out of breath. Okay?
You'll keep on breathing.
And your breath will slow down,
and you'll recover.
And if you do it more and more and more,
your stamina gets better and better,
and you recover quicker and quicker. Okay?
It's the endurance, yeah?
The stamina to keep that leg up.
I still have you at working towards two.
Is there anything that you
would like to raise with me?
Any issues?
- No.
- No?
[Anthony] Thank you.
[female instructor] Five, pli six.
Open seven, eight.
Stretch... three.
Two legs, as you would in a jump.
Six. Over. Seven. Eight.
And to make it simpler, let's do...
[Sam] I never really asked you,
where did you ever learn to dance?
Did you really struggle
to find a ballet place?
Yeah.
I kind of stopped going, though,
because my dance teacher
wasn't really being nice.
[Sam] What did he do?
[Anthony] This is a mark from him.
He normally flogged us
anytime I made a mistake.
[Sam] Was he mean to everyone?
[Anthony] Yeah.
[Sam] Like, how?
[Anthony] I don't really know
anything about it,
but I think it was really bad.
[Sam] Yeah.
[bright music playing]
You don't get pudding
because you don't eat your vegetables.
- Is that fair!?
- [students] No.
Well, there's a bit more
debate about that one.
That happens in my house.
Um, you have to get up
to go to school every day,
whether you like it or not.
- [students] No, not fair.
- [teacher] Okay?
[teacher] You can't go to school
because you're a girl.
[students] Not fair.
[teacher] Happens in some
parts of the world.
You are 12 and have to go out
to work to help your family.
- [students] Not fair.
- [teacher] Okay. So.
Please, can I get a tissue?
It's just my eye.
- [teacher] Okay.
- Yeah. Thank you.
[teacher] So, you all agree
that this is not fair.
But some of you said that
this one wasn't fair, either.
- [doctor] And looking at me now.
- Yeah.
Look at my face. Can you see my face?
I can see your face, but it's probably
just half of your face
that I can see with this eye.
Okay. Which half can you see?
Can you see this side or this side
or the top or the bottom?
- It's that side. Yeah.
- Okay. Okay.
And if I hold my hand up,
how many fingers can you see now?
[Anthony] So, I would say
one probably. Yeah.
Okay. All right, how many now?
I don't know.
Okay. Can you see my hand moving?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Open your eyes a little bit wider.
Look straight into the light
for me. Wonderful.
And look over to your right this time.
Well done.
Could I have a quick look
- at your left eye as well?
- Yeah.
So, look straight ahead for me.
Well done. You can sit back.
[Anthony exhales]
[doctor] The important thing to remember
is that with the left eye,
you've got some part of the retina
that actually functions quite well.
And that helps you see.
That will help you pursue your career.
These are not progressive changes.
So, you're not gonna lose any more vision.
But you are largely blind
with that right eye.
You do have the field of vision,
so you can see things on either side.
But your central vision is gone.
[gloomy music playing]
[music continues to play]
[woman] There isn't anything
that the doctors can do
to improve Anthony's vision.
So, the vision that he's got now
is the vision that he will have forever.
- [Ifeoma] Okay.
- [woman] Okay?
So, not the news that I think
we'd all been hoping for.
But this isn't going to get worse.
[sighs]
So, how about we send you
to Nigeria at Easter to see your family?
And hopefully help you come
back and-- with renewed energy,
to get through the summer term
'cause it's a busy one with the show.
[Anthony] Yeah.
[vocalizing]
[vocalizes]
This here cloth is changing color.
[indistinct remarks]
Ah! Jesus! [shouts]
Chibuzo! Mmesoma is here!
Jesus oh! Who am I?
Jesus! Chibuzo?
Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
Jesus oh! Jesus oh!
Nna any? Mmesoma is here!
Hey! Mmesoma is here!
Go call your daddy, go call your daddy!
My baby is here!
My baby. My baby.
Hey! Jesus! Nna, is it you?
Is this you?
Is it you? Is it really you?
Jesus! Jesus!
Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!
Oh, my baby's here, since morning...
You almost killed me.
We cannot kill you, oh!
Oh, my baby's here.
Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome.
[Ifeoma] Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God!
Jesus, I thank you oh!
Oh, my God. Nna, look at me.
- Turn your back.
- Jesus.
- Nnam, oh!
- He's bigger.
My baby's back home! My baby's back home!
My baby's back home! Hey!
Mmesoma is back. Come and see Mmesoma.
Hey! Mmesoma is back oh.
- Hey, look at this boy.
- Everybody see my son.
My son is back home!
My son is... My son is...
- Jesus!
- Mmeso, Mmeso!
My son is back! My son is back!
My son is back!
Oh, my God, I have sore throat.
My son is back.
My son is back home.
My son is back. Nna!
Is this you? Hey!
Let me feed my boy.
Mm. [chuckles]
I don't see anyone else but you.
Father, as we're about
to go to bed now, O Lord,
I beg you to protect us
so that we sleep and wake
tomorrow morning safe and sound.
[sniffles]
[Ifeoma] You have a headache?
No headache, it's just hot.
- That's Nigerian weather for you.
- No, it's terrible.
It's worse than I thought it would be.
[Ifeoma] What?
It's worse than I thought it's gonna be.
[Ifeoma] When the itching starts,
it keeps you uncomfortable, right?
Kind of.
[Ifeoma] Okay.
Do the eyedrops help?
Yeah.
I'm very sorry.
That time, I really felt bad.
- It's fine.
- Mmm?
It's fine.
Okay.
[distant chatter]
Please, when you go back,
try to be applying it always, okay?
I'll keep reminding you.
I'll keep reminding you of that, yeah?
Can you come
and train with me on the field?
- You must come.
- No, not today.
Today, you must come.
No.
Why?
What do you mean why?
[somber music playing]
[coach] So, let's go. The walk.
[whistle blows]
[spirited chatter]
[music continues to play]
[vehicles honking]
[somber music playing]
[Ifeoma] Before you go back to the UK,
I want you to make peace
with your brother.
He's just a little boy,
that you have to manage him.
A little boy?
He's 12, for goodness' sake.
Start talking with him now,
because I'm going inside.
I have something to do inside.
I'm entering inside.
[somber music playing]
This stage you are now, that's the stage.
- That is it, you will outgrow it.
- You will control it.
Teenagers, it happens to them.
Whenever you enter teenage,
once in a while,
you just get annoyed for no reason.
No, I need a therapist,
and I can't find anyone here.
- [Ifeoma] You need?
- A therapist.
- [Ifeoma] What is a therapist?
- People that help you with your problems.
- [Ifeoma] Can't I help you?
- No.
Tony...
Don't worry, I'll take you to my prophet.
- [Anthony] I do not need your prophet.
- You need him.
[Anthony] I need a therapist,
not a prophet.
- You need him.
- [Anthony] No, I don't!
There's nothing God cannot do.
I need a therapist,
not a prophet, thank you.
[Raymond] Look at me,
and don't move it. Tony!
I shake when I get annoyed.
- Listen, all eyes are on you now.
- [Ifeoma] Yes.
[Ifeoma] Listen, do you know that
this thing is giving me much concern?
It's also giving me concern.
- [Raymond] Tony, take it easy.
- [Ifeoma] Why won't you help me?
- I'm trying... No!
- [Raymond] Excuse me, take it easy.
Finding this type of anger in you is bad.
It's really bad.
[Anthony] Well, it's bad
if I can't control it myself.
[Raymond] We're trying
to put you in order.
You're trying to tell us that--
I'm also trying to put myself in order.
If you don't keep repeating everything
over and over again
when I've already said it.
[Raymond] No, no, no, no, Tony...
- No, no.
- Come. It's your mom.
- [sobs]
- It's me, it's fine.
Now you're making me cry, it's fine.
It's fine, it's fine.
It's fine.
It's fine.
It's fine, it's fine.
It's fine. It's fine.
[somber music playing]
[music continues to play]
[somber music playing]
- [teacher] Anthony.
- Yes, Ms. McComish.
- [teacher] Killian.
- [Killian] Yes, Ms. McComish.
Marshall. Molly.
[man over speaker]
Um, how are we going to resolve this?
I'm aware that some of you,
this will be your first time
performing for Elmhurst.
So, we're just going to run
this one continuously
until we get it right.
This is an important performance.
This is why you're here.
[energetic orchestral score plays]
Standing by, year eight! Are we ready?
All project...
To the back of the theater,
keep your eye-line raised.
Good, good. Well done.
[Anthony] My eye's going
to maybe end my career.
[woman] You guys have learnt a new skill
for this end-of-year show, haven't you?
It's about partner work and teamwork.
So, guys, what would you say
is the most important thing
when you're working on partner work?
[boy] Listening to your partner
and adapting to what she wants.
I love that. So, communication.
[girl] Making sure that we're both
quite happy with what we're doing.
[instructor] I love that, yeah.
Happy with what you're doing.
Yeah, you really got to engage those legs,
really engage those toes.
Hard work.
Down in one count, arms forward, lovely.
Wow, you're going, you're saying,
"Look at my lovely work."
Your end-of-year show is a celebration.
And all the brilliant work you've done.
You should be really proud
of what you've done this year.
Six, seven, eight, present.
All right, same one, present.
Yes!
Not bad. Not brilliant, but not bad.
Le paire!
Up!
[classical music playing]
Oh, yeah. And one, two...
Relev. And...
I used to drive my bike down here
and up there to school.
This place is pretty quiet.
- Yeah, it's pretty nice, isn't it?
- Yeah.
I love quiet places.
[grunts]
Oh, no.
Picasso!
Happy birthday, Dear Anthony!
Happy birthday to you!
[Sam] Hip, hip, hooray!
Hip, hip, hooray!
Come on, blow your candle.
Make a wish.
[toothbrushes whirr]
[Sam chuckles]
[Sam] What're you doin'?
[Anthony] Fluffy ears, flyin'.
- [Sam] It's like wings.
- [Anthony] Yeah.
- [Sam] You need to put your eyedrops on.
- [Anthony] Yeah.
- [Sam] Wanna do that now?
- [Anthony] Yes.
[Sam] Okay.
[melancholy music playing]
[instructor] So, this is the first time
you've done a bigger production?
- [Anthony] Yes.
- There's a lot of people running around,
but you've got to keep calm
- because you got to perform, yeah?
- Yeah.
[instructor]
So, when you take your position...
[Anthony] Yeah.
...do you feel a bit dizzy sometimes?
- Um, yeah.
- Yes.
So, what do you do to try
and make that not so difficult for you?
Have you got a little
kind of technique you use?
- No... but...
- Okay.
Five, six, seven and eight.
But that's got to be strong, hasn't it?
But-- yes. Okay.
Then the girls come in and we lift.
Are you really clear about what happens?
Can you see her waist very clearly?
Okay? Strong middle.
Strong size. Off you go.
And pretend. And up.
- Can you actually see the last person?
- Yeah.
- You can?
- Yeah.
So, you're aware of that
and you're using your...
left eye to see.
We step to the side,
Uh, then like we held hands and go...
- Yes.
- Yes.
But you got support there.
- So that isn't an issue?
- No.
No. So, you've actually found ways
around everything, haven't you?
That's because you're quite clever.
[laughs]
And you're going to keep in one piece.
And feel that alignment.
Oh! There you go, three.
And what was that, because you were
- really focused, weren't you?
- Yes.
Yes. Shoulders. Finish.
- [Sam] Let me see.
- You don't want to see.
I want to see this.
- No, don't, no.
- No, you look nice.
- No, I don't...
- Yes, you do.
I think it can be like,
basically I can't even see myself...
Oh, wow, it's really big, isn't it?
- It makes my eye big.
- Wait, open your eye.
- No, just the eye.
- Wow.
[laughs]
- I love it.
- Nah.
[Marshall] Do you think it's gonna, like,
affect maybe your dance career?
Or doesn't it, like, concern you?
Yeah, it does.
[Marshall] But maybe if you, like,
keep working
and working and working.
It probably won't make it, like,
go away, but it might
help you do pirouettes a bit more.
[Anthony] I've actually been
practicing doing pirouettes
- with my eyes closed.
- [Marshall] That was good, so...
[Sam] That was actually really good.
[Anthony] Even if I'm not gonna
be able to see,
I know my front, my back and my sides.
- [Marshall] Yeah, it won't be bad.
- Yeah.
[Sam] Yeah.
[bright music playing]
[Anthony] I ask myself if I'm going
to be really great at dancing.
And sometimes I don't think
I have what it takes.
All the times that I got bullied...
[sighs]
But I didn't give up then,
so I don't see why I should give up now.
[vocalizing]
[bright music playing]
[woman] Are you nervous now?
[girl] I'm mostly excited for the show.
[woman] Do you know
when your parents are coming?
[girl] I think they're coming later.
[heavy drapes rustle]
[soft music playing]
[music starting to get louder]
[Anthony] Sometimes I close my eye,
imagine myself on the big stage.
[adventurous music playing]
[motivational music playing]
[music continues to play]
[music continues to play]
Wow.
[bright music playing]
[birds chirping]
[man] I thought you did very well
in the summer show.
Did you get that adrenaline rush?
Remember, it's a snapshot.
You get to show all that
you've achieved over the year.
I think you have improved
on your postural alignment,
and the other thing is that
you love to move.
You really love--
I've seen it
from the first time you joined
- that you really love moving and dancing.
- Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
[man] Now, there is quite a big jump
from year eight to nine.
It's not just the steps that get harder,
but it's the intensity.
And it's also the expectation
and the requirements. Yeah?
That I think maybe you could try
just to push a little bit more, okay?
But I think it's trying to keep calm.
Maybe because of what's
happened to you in the past,
there's that element of panic,
that very slight... [huffs] Okay?
But remember that you're
in a very safe environment here.
[woman] That's what
I said to you, isn't it?
[man] It's very safe here,
nothing is gonna come to harm.
- See you in year nine.
- See you.
[indistinct chatter]
You okay?
You all right?
So, you're gonna text me?
- Not at midnight, though.
- No.
That's what you usually do.
I mean, that's because
I'm always awake at midnight.
[Emily] Yeah.
- [Sam] It's so...
- [Omarian] Ah, this is awkward.
It doesn't go-- Look.
- All right. So...
- Thank you.
Yeah.
I'm gonna miss you, Anthony.
I'll miss you, Sam.
Eight weeks, great.
- Eight weeks.
- Yeah.
See you. See you in eight weeks.
Eight weeks! Ah.
That's what you get. Bye.
- [woman] Bye, Anthony.
- Bye, Anthony.
[Anthony] Bye.
[woman] Have a safe journey home.
Tell Picasso I said hi.
- [woman] Tell who?
- Picasso.
[woman] I will do!
Yeah.
If you can move like that...
[waves crashing]
[bright music playing]
Dancing is kind of like a way
of telling your story,
about how you feel.
Sometimes I express joy.
Sometimes I express pain.
It's kind of like letting go of...
the anger in me and like the...
sadness in me.
- [Ifeoma] Is it paining you?
- [Anthony] It is kind of.
- [Ifeoma] It is? Sorry.
- [Anthony] Yes.
Ow.
Sorry, now. Are you a baby?
No, it's these ones that are hurting now.
- [Ifeoma] Is it tight?
- [Anthony] A bit.
- Huh?
- A bit.
How did you learn to speak
this type of British English?
How... I just know how to do it,
I just know how to speak it.
Like, normal.
Do you still know how to speak Igbo?
I never knew how to speak Igbo.
[Ifeoma] You're not ashamed of yourself?
Sorry, I never knew how to speak it.
[Ifeoma] Are you not from Igboland?
[clears throat] I will teach you.
Right from now,
I'll be speaking Igbo to you.
- But you can understand it, right?
- Yeah.
Ow.
[Ifeoma] Sorry.
[bright music playing]
[distant teacher's voice]
[music continues to play]
[Anthony] I don't exactly know
where my home is right now.
[dramatic music playing]
[music continues to play]
- [Chisom] Have you been here before?
- [Anthony] No.
[Chisom] I come here
to play football sometimes.
[Anthony] Mmm.
Mostly on Saturday morning.
[Anthony] I would say home is a place
where you feel like you belong
and where you feel peaceful.
But I wouldn't say that
without my family being in it.
When are you guys going back to school?
[Chisom] On Monday, next week.
- Are you good at maths?
- Mmm, yeah.
- You're not good at maths.
- I'm good at maths, but not like that.
- How are you coping in your grades?
- Very well.
- Mmm.
- Yes.
I heard that you got zero on your exam.
Huh?
Can you jump from here?
[Anthony] If you ask me that question,
I'm going to kill you.
[soft chuckle]
Yeah.
[Ifeoma] Father, make him
the professional ballet dancer
that he always dreamed of.
Please, help him to achieve his dreams
in the mighty name of Jesus.
[bright music playing]
[motivational music playing]
[upbeat pop music playing]
[male vocalist singing]
[music continues to play]
[music continues to play]
[music ends]
[orchestral music playing]
[music continues to play]