Judith Audu, Nollywood producer and director, has urged emerging filmmakers to prioritise making strong artistic short films instead of focusing solely on commercialisation.
Audu made the remarks while speaking as a panellist during the Fireside Chat session, “Beyond The Frame: Stories that Move Beyond The Screen,” at the recently held Filmjoint Premieres 2026.
Speaking on the impact short films can have on a filmmaker’s career, Audu painted a picture of how transformative it could be for a filmmaker to have a short film screened at an international festival like Sundance.
“Do you know what that would do for you or your career as a filmmaker? So, I feel that is what you should aspire to with your short films. When you do a really good short film and it pushes you out on these platforms, they will look for you,” she says.
The CEO of Judith Audu Productions, who is deeply passionate about short films, believes many filmmakers struggle because they have not clearly defined why they are making short films in the first place.
“If you know why, you’ll be able to figure out what to do,” she notes.
Reflecting on her early years in filmmaking, Audu recalls that short films were never initially approached from a commercial standpoint. Instead, they served as creative portfolios and testing grounds for filmmakers trying to build their craft.
“When I was transitioning from acting into production, short films were what I used to try my hand at. When I was also transitioning into directing, short films were the first thing,” she cites.
For Audu, short films remain an important medium for filmmakers to test themselves creatively and discover the kind of stories they truly want to tell. She notes that some stories work more effectively as short films than feature-length projects.
Referencing Sonia John’s Ikemefuna, Audu explains that the story’s emotional impact may not have been as profound if it had been stretched into a feature film.
“This is why short films are a medium that are extremely important to tell important stories. To tell stories you want people to see and it hits them,” she says.
Responding to whether short films should evolve into more commercially driven projects or remain artistic and socially conscious mediums, Audu admits she still struggles to define what exactly a “commercial short film” means.
According to her, the purpose and direction of a short film largely depends on the filmmaker behind it and the kind of story being told.
“Take Juju Stories for example. They were three different stories and three different themes. Would you say they were commercial, artistic or would you say they found a balance?” she asks.
“I feel like depending on what your short story is, it’s easy to find a balance,” she adds.
The filmmaker, known for her work on The Party (2025) and L.I.F.E (2024), also referenced Osas Okonyon and Mallum Arik’s Nice To Meet You, describing it as a simple “boy meets girl” short film that unexpectedly gained strong online attention.
According to Audu, the focus for short filmmakers should remain on making good films first, trusting that recognition and commercial rewards can follow naturally.
“Make a good film that you want to make because it is a short film. Money will come but it shouldn’t be our focus,” she says.
