After enjoying four weeks of steady reception in cinemas across Nigeria, the music-driven drama Evi is preparing for a new phase of audience engagement—this time by moving beyond traditional cinema halls and directly into university campuses.
The project, produced by Judith Audu Productions, is at the centre of a pioneering campus cinema tour designed to reshape how Nigerian students experience film. The initiative, driven by Campus Cinemas Distribution, will run from May 1 to May 31, 2026, and features a curated selection of four titles: Evi, Keleke, Love and Guilt, and Wedding in Nigeria.
Directed and written by Uyoyou Adia, Evi brings together a notable ensemble cast that includes Osas Ighodaro, Uzor Arukwe, Omowunmi Dada, Waje, Ibrahim Suleiman, Michael Ejoor, and Tomiwa Tegbe. The film blends music and drama, a combination that has helped it maintain audience interest since its cinema release.
Speaking on the initiative, producer Judith Audu described the campus tour as more than a promotional strategy, framing it as an intentional effort to reconnect young audiences with shared cinematic experiences.
She explained that the idea is to meet students where they are, while also restoring a sense of communal viewing that streaming platforms have gradually diminished. According to her, the goal is not only to promote Evi, but to help rebuild cinema culture among young people.
Audu also pointed to access as a major challenge for students, noting that many are unable to regularly attend cinemas due to cost and logistics. The campus model, she said, helps bridge that gap by bringing screenings directly to educational institutions at subsidised rates.
Beyond affordability, she emphasised the importance of collective viewing. In her view, watching films together on campus creates a shared cultural experience that cannot be replicated through personal screens or mobile devices.
The tour will visit several higher institutions across Nigeria’s South-East and beyond, including the Institute of Management and Technology, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, and Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education.
Industry observers say the initiative reflects a broader shift within Nollywood, where filmmakers and distributors are increasingly exploring alternative exhibition models to expand reach and sustain cinema culture amid changing viewing habits.