"Don’t Be Late, Myra" earns an Oscar® qualification and joins the 98th Academy Awards® race

From Lahore to Hollywood: "Don’t Be Late, Myra" earns an Oscar® qualification and joins the 98th Academy Awards® race

 

 “Don’t Be Late, Myra” 

by Afia Nathaniel

Set in the streets of modern-day Lahore, the film follows 10-year-old Myra (Innayah Umer), a bright young girl who, after missing her school van, is forced to walk home alone. What begins as an ordinary journey quickly becomes a quiet test of endurance. As she navigates through the city’s crowded streets, she encounters harassment, menace, and moments of unspoken danger.

Through Myra’s eyes, Nathaniel exposes a truth that too many children endure in silence—the peril of simply existing in public spaces. With tense pacing and raw emotional restraint, “Don’t Be Late, Myra” unfolds like a survival thriller rooted in realism, one that refuses to look away from the dangers faced by children, particularly girls, in patriarchal societies.

For anyone who has ever walked home alone as a child, this story cuts deep. You feel it—in your chest, in your memory, in your bones.

Nathaniel’s connection to the film runs far deeper than craft. Drawing from her own childhood experiences and her perspective as a survivor of assault, she turns trauma into truth-telling art. In doing so, she dismantles silence, forcing conversations about child safety and the cultural taboos that sustain danger.

The result is not only a film—it is an act of courage. By channeling pain into cinematic poetry, Nathaniel gives voice to those who have been silenced and challenges the systems that keep them quiet.

Since its world premiere, “Don’t Be Late, Myra” has carved an extraordinary path through the international festival circuit. The film has earned Best Film at the Bergen International Film Festival of New Jersey, Best Short Film at the Montreal International Film Festival, and Best Long Short – Tongues on Fire Flame Award at the UK Asian Film Festival.

It also claimed the Audience Award for Best International Short Film at the WOW Wales One World Film Festival, a clear sign that Myra’s story resonates not only with juries but with audiences across cultures. Additional honors from the Big Apple Film Festival, California Women’s Film Festival, and DC Independent Film Festival further underscore its artistic power and universal impact.

Shot entirely on location in Lahore with a local cast and crew, the film’s authenticity is palpable. Every sound, every shadow, and every glance feels lived-in. The city itself becomes a character—beautiful, chaotic, and unflinchingly real.

The Vision of Afia Nathaniel

Nathaniel has long been recognized as a filmmaker of rare vision and conviction. Her debut feature, “Dukhtar (Daughter)”—Pakistan’s official submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards®—premiered at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and went on to screen in over 20 countries, earning global acclaim.

She later broke new ground in television, directing an episode of NBC’s Chicago Med through the NBCU Female Forward initiative, becoming the first Pakistani-American female director hired by a U.S. network studio for a one-hour drama.

With “Don’t Be Late, Myra,” Nathaniel returns to her cinematic roots, continuing her mission to craft stories that intertwine personal narrative with social truth. Her filmmaking remains fearless—challenging, intimate, and urgent.

“Don’t Be Late, Myra” is not an easy short film. It was never meant to be. It is, however, a necessary one. It demands we pay attention to the quiet terrors children face, to the resilience of survivors, and to the power of art to shift the silence toward justice.

As the short film enters the race for the 98th Academy Awards®, it stands as a testament to Afia Nathaniel’s unwavering vision and the enduring strength of those who dare to tell their stories.

Because sometimes, being late isn’t what’s dangerous. It’s being unseen.