Afia Nathaniel’s taut and riveting short film Don’t Be Late, Myra immerses us in the heart-pounding journey of a 10-year-old girl named Myra (Innayah Umer), who finds herself stranded on the streets of Lahore after missing her school van. What begins as a seemingly simple mistake soon transforms into a nerve-wracking odyssey as Myra, isolated and vulnerable, must navigate a city teeming with both overt and subtle dangers.
Nathaniel, the Pakistani-American filmmaker celebrated for her acclaimed 2014 feature Dukhtar, once again returns to familiar thematic terrain, exploring the collision between childhood innocence with the harshness of the world around it. She directs with sensitivity and restraint, crafting a narrative that feels at once intimate and unnervingly universal. By keeping the camera aligned with Myra’s perspective, Nathaniel makes the viewer feel her smallness, and vulnerability against the oppressive scale of the bustling city.
Despite its measured pacing, the film moves with the taut energy of a thriller with every street corner brimming with menace. The suspense is heightened by the extraordinary performance of Innayah Umer, who embodies Myra with a fragile strength that makes the character deeply affecting. Her expressive presence anchors the film, drawing us into every moment of fear, hesitation, and resolve, while also demonstrating a quiet resilience.
The film moves with the taut energy of a thriller with every street corner brimming with menace
Don’t Be Late, Myra culminates in a devastating and unexpected conclusion that is as haunting as it is thought-provoking, somewhat reshaping the entire narrative and imbuing Myra’s journey with a painful, new resonance. With this meticulously crafted short, Nathaniel’s place as a talented filmmaker of both urgency and vision is further reinforced.
Nathaniel’s place as a talented filmmaker of both urgency and vision is further reinforced
Brian Cotter
★★★★★
