Bond on Cinema

Why This Short Film "DON'T BE LATE MYRA" Is Getting Oscar Buzz

AFIA NATHANIEL - DON’T BE LATE, MYRA Short Film
My guest today is Pakistani-American filmmaker Afia Nathaniel to discuss her Oscar-qualified short, DON’T BE LATE, MYRA. 
Drawing from her own lived experiences and her perspective as a survivor, Afia transforms trauma into bold, cinematic storytelling that confronts patriarchy and sparks vital dialogue about children’s safety in Pakistan and around the world. 
With her acclaimed debut feature Dukhtar (Pakistan’s official submission to the 87th Academy Awards), which was groundbreaking work in both Pakistan and Hollywood.
But it’s her newest short film, the gripping short film Don’t Be Late, Myra marking a milestone in Afia Nathaniel's return to telling stories from Pakistan.
Don’t Be Late, Myra is both a survival thriller and an unflinching commentary on the silence surrounding child harassment and abuse in Pakistan and beyond.
Ladies and gentlemen, Afia Nathaniel’s short film DON’T BE LATE, MYRA is set against the bustling streets of Lahore, the film follows 10-year-old Myra, who, after missing her school van, is forced to walk home alone. 
Navigating harassment and menace on her way, Myra faces a quiet but escalating danger that exposes the vulnerabilities children endure in public spaces. With its urgent pacing and raw emotional undercurrent, Don’t Be Late, Myra is both a survival thriller and an unflinching commentary on the silence surrounding child harassment in Pakistan and beyond.
Deeply personal in its origins, the film draws on Afia’s own childhood experiences and her perspective as a survivor of assault. By transforming trauma into urgent art, she brings visibility to an issue often silenced by patriarchy, sparking essential conversations about children’s safety and the cultural taboos that endanger them.
DON’T BE LATE, MYRA left me deeply disturbed and shaken. Children all over the world are enduring childhood harassment and abuse and it shouldn’t be that way. 
This is a film that should be shown before the United Nations, because of it’s very powerful and emotional storytelling. 
Afia’s knows how to tell a story with small nuances and subtleties that will have a profound effect on the audience. It’s no wonder her film is a multi-film festival award winner and is now in the running for the 98th Academy Awards. 
 

Michael Yuchen Lei's Short MUSHROOM DAD: What Happens When a Chef's Dad Eats PSYCHEDELIC Mushrooms?

My guest today is award-winning Chinese-born filmmaker Michael Yuchen Lei.
His fiction and non-fiction work has screened at leading festivals including Tribeca, Slamdance, San Sebastian, CPH:DOX, and Palm Springs. 
Michael is a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he began his career in music as a photographer for Joe Walsh of the Eagles, later photographing artists such as Ringo Starr, the xx, and Outkast.
He produced the documentary Echo which went on to win the 2023 Audience Award at Aspen Shortsfest and premiered on The New Yorker. He is currently a 2025 Rideback RISE Fellow and an Indeed Rising Voices filmmaker.
Michael’s Oscar-qualified short film MUSHROOM DAD, has been selected as part of the groundbreaking Indeed Rising Voices Season 5, the celebrated initiative from Emmy-winning writer, producer, and director Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions and Ventureland, in partnership with Indeed.
Ladies and gentlemen, the poignant and surreal dramedy, Mushroom Dad follows a young chef struggling to manage the most important night of his career, the opening of his restaurant, while unexpectedly caring for his Chinese-immigrant father, who accidentally consumes psychedelic mushrooms. Blending humor and heart, the film is both a playful family tale and a meditation on identity, generational divides, and the immigrant experience.
Everything about this film is fantastic from the storyline, the acting, the emotion and the cinematography, but this film truly shines because the heartfelt message it brings to the audience. 
When we’re young we tend to react to our parents ways of criticism. Sometimes they don’t know they are being critical as they think they are helping us along in their own way. 
Maybe we need to take some psychedelic mushrooms and get the emotional clarity to see that some criticism is just love in disguise.
#shortfilm #cinema #film #filmmaker #indeed #risingvoices #oscars #academyawards #family #fatherson #filmmaking #filmdirector #psychedelicmushrooms #chinese #familytradition

Ross Syner's Oscar-Qualified Short BROTHERS: Truth Divides - Blood Binds

My guest is Ross Syner, an award-winning British film writer/director whose emotionally charged storytelling and cinematic visual style have earned him recognition across the UK and the international film industry. 
Ross has currently qualified for both BAFTA and BIFA consideration with his latest short film BROTHERS, starring BAFTA-winning actor David Bradley, which is now on an active awards-season run.
Ross first gained international attention with his debut short film Francois, a project that gained him accreditation to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, giving him early exposure to the global film industry. 
He followed this early success with JACK, a powerful drama that won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Short Film, cementing his reputation for creating deeply human stories with a striking cinematic edge.
He is the founder of Mockingbird Film Co, and continues to champion bold, original storytelling.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ross Syner’s BROTHERS is about a family's bond and morals are tested by a life-changing situation.
Every day we make decisions of choosing between right and wrong. But would you be willing to lay down your life for the ones you love? Would your sacrifice your future for someone else?
BROTHERS brings up so many questions we should ask ourselves. Morality, the distinction between right and wrong or good or bad behavior. 
Cinematically, this film is spot on beautiful. The lighting, the coloring, the simple camera work makes this film focused on the story and its incredible cast. 
Actors David Bradley, James Eeles and Jack Christou bring realistic, emotional depth to their characters. They make us live within the dilemma they are facing. 
The music score by Anthony Ford is beautiful, but it leaves us with the feeling of living with the mistake of one person and the sacrifice of another. 
This is an award winning film and it should be nominated for both the BAFTA and the BIFA. It has all the elements and I will leave it at that. 
#oscars #academyawards #shortfilm #shortfilms #film #family #brothers #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproducer #filmproduction #cinema #cinematography #bondoncinema
 

Pardeep Sahota’s OK/NOTOK short film: Will Our Future Relationships Include In-App Purchases?

My guest today is Pardeep Sahota and his newest short film OK/NOTOK. 
He is a British Asian director, screenwriter and producer. He has cited his obsession with filmmaking beginning at age ten, shooting films on his father's VHS camera. 
He studied at the University College London, he made short films with the UCL Film Society. Working in commercials he is a three-time Clio award winner and won the Gold - Emerging Artist Award at the British Arrows 2022. His short film series Bleeding Art was Official Selection at Slamdance Film Festival 2020.
His newest short film, OK/NOTOK is a genre bending sci-fi comedy drama that speaks to our world right now. 
Ladies and gentlemen, Pardeep Sahota’s OK/NOTOK short film is a look into our possible dystopian future of life, especially in the area of relationships. 
We are connected by social media making our world seem smaller, but also more disconnected than ever. 
What if we were able to order a companion and have them programmed with available upgrades. Would you buy into that? Millions of you would, but what you won’t be able to avoid is the emotional attachment that you will have with it. 
Smartphone apps are designed to get you in for free and then created to move you to in-app purchases. It’s like a programmed drug habit. You want more, but you have to pay more to get the continued stimulation or that artificially created high. 
Before the smartphones and apps, we relied on human connection to be stimulated with conversation, dating, falling in love, giving love and receiving love back. 
In all honestly, Pardeep’s film OK/NOTOK shows us we have already been living in a dystopian world and the only true escape is to look up from our phones and see that real life is still there waiting on us to embrace and be an active participate. You can’t program real life and that’s the way it should be. 
I loved this film, because it makes us think and we don’t need Chat GPT to do that, at least not me.
#dystopian #dystopian #AI #humanoids #robots #shortfilm #shortfilms #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmproduction #cinema #cinematography #oscars #academyawards #cinephile #bondoncinema 

Alexander Farah's ONE DAY THIS KID - Hamed contends with fear, desire and shame, in search of a self unknown

Alexander Farah is an Afghan-Canadian director and editor, whose work has screened globally at Berlinale, Telluride, and Clermont-Ferrand. 
His first short film “Sahar” premiered at TIFF in 2014. Notably, he directed the narrative music video for “Meet You At The Light” which won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Choice Awards at SXSW in 2022. 
Alex also edited the 2024 Canadian Screen Award-winning short film “Motherland” directed by Jasmin Mozaffari. 
Alex’s recent project “One Day This Kid” premiered at the TIFF in 2024, and won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short Film at the SXSW in 2025.
Ladies and gentlemen, Alexander Farah’s ONE DAY THIS KID is about a young kid growing up under the weight of his father's expectations, Hamed contends with fear, desire and shame, in search of a self unknown.
The film is based on the text by David Wojnarowicz. If that text was made into a film, it would break your heart and much has changed in society in the last 35 years. 
Alex’s ONE DAY THIS KID is a silent reminder that society still sees people differently. Parents have an idea how they want their children to be when they grow up, but it doesn’t always work out that way. 
In many cases, it can take years for acceptance to rise and then it’s too late as many memories could have been made in the presence of love. 
ONE DAY THIS KID is a poignant, powerful and emotional film. One I hope shows that we shouldn’t withhold love, just because we disagree. Love is a bridge not to be burned, but to find every opportunity to cross it with arms and heart wide open. 
The storytelling is powerful, the acting is stellar and the cinematography and music score are of the highest quality, and has rightly earned to an award winning film. 
#shortfilm #film #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #screenwriter #lgbtq #selfawareness #cinema #bondoncinema #cinephile #oscars #academyawards

Jada George's SHOCKING Dystopian Short Reveals the DARK TRUTH

My guest today is emerging filmmaker  Jada George  making her awarding winning directorial debut with  Where The Children Go To Play, a chilling dystopian short film that forces audiences to question what it means to be “worthy” of survival in a system governed by cold, synthetic judgment. 
Produced by Twin Pine Production with producing unit Alex Benton, Joshua Montrel, and AP Julian Thedford, the film is set in a sterile, near-future society and follows  Sevyn Thomas  and  Solana Jackson, two young candidates subjected to a brutal psychological selection process. Inside fluorescent-lit chambers, they face synthetic proctors—hyper-intelligent androids designed to probe their deepest fears and beliefs. 
By the end, Sevyn and Solana emerge transformed, branded with tattoos symbolizing their rare passage into humanity’s future. 
“With Where The Children Go To Play, I wanted to explore the intersection of power, identity, and survival in a world where worth is determined by a cold, calculated system,” says director  Jada George. 
“The story reflects my fascination with dystopian narratives that mirror our own social structures—whether in politics, education, or the workplace. My hope is that audiences see both the characters’ struggles and their own experiences reflected in the film.” 
Ladies and gentlemen, the film is set in a sterile, near-future society and follows  Sevyn Thomas  and  Solana Jackson, two young candidates subjected to a brutal psychological selection process. 
Inside fluorescent-lit chambers, they face synthetic proctors—hyper-intelligent androids designed to probe their deepest fears and beliefs. 
Memories are weaponized, morality is tested, and every answer draws the line between survival and sacrifice. By the end, Sevyn and Solana emerge transformed, branded with tattoos symbolizing their rare passage into humanity’s future. 
This film is simple and the point, and an unnerving point it makes. Are we headed to a dystopian world where our every thought and move will be scrutinized by artificial intelligent being? The reality is, it’s already happening, especially in China. What would you do in this situation is the question. 
#dystopian #thriller #psychologicalthriller #suspensethriller #mindset #mindgames #reset #film #cinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproduction #bondoncinema #shortfilm #shortfilms #cinephile #storytelling 

Andrew Vogel's Newest Feature Film HERMAN: The Darkness Has Come for You - Will the Truth Set Us Free?

My guest today is filmmaker and actor Andrew Vogel, and  co-founder of VP Independent. 
In 2023, the company released the action/thriller The Dirty South starring Willa Holland, Shane West, and Dermot Mulroney, which won Best Cinematography at NYC’s Chelsea Film Festival and released worldwide via Cineverse, earning praise from MovieWeb and The New York Times .
Andrew’s recent projects include the comedy/thriller Dead Giveaway, winner of “Best Chemistry” at the Philadelphia Film Festival, and his high-concept psychological horror Herman, both set for 2025 release.
As an actor, Vogel has appeared in A Walk in the Woods with Robert Redford and  Nick Nolte, CBS’s Under the Dome, ABC’s The Astronaut Wives Club, and the box-office sleeper God’s Not Dead.
Andrew is here to talk about his newest film, HERMAN, a film asks the questions How do we face the inner demons that we don't even fully recognize? Will the truth really set us free? 
Ladies and gentlemen, HERMAN is a psychological thriller about a man confronting the extremes of his own mind. Living in isolation in the woods, he searches for freedomfrom himself, only to find that the truths he has buried cannot stay hidden. 
They resurface, manifesting in strange and unsettling ways, forcing him to confront the weight of guilt he has tried to escape.
The film is inspired by the idea — echoed in Joseph Campbell’s work — that the line between mysticism and madness is often perilously thin. In Herman’s journey, we explore whether the truth can set him free, or if the act of uncovering it is itself a form of surrender.
At its heart, the story is about living with oneself in the absence of distractions, confronting what is denied, and reckoning with the strange, dark alchemy of guilt anddesire. It is a meditation on isolation, the mind’s capacity for self-deception, and the delicate balance between revelation and ruin.
This film keeps you glued to your seat while you slowly see Herman’s life or demons unravel. HERMAN is a heavily character-driven film and the dialogue is focused and poignant to every scene in the film. In an age, where independent filmmakers want to do the slow burn of storytelling, HERMAN doesn’t drag the story out. 
It moves freely from scene to scene and you’re waiting to see what will happen next. Add in a couple of nuns, one in particular who is so spiritually in tune, you really want to see more of her. 
I’m not going to give any spoilers away here, but there are surprises that await you and that makes for great storytelling and in this case a great film. 
#horror #psychologicalthriller #thriller #suspensethriller #haunting #grief #yourpast #film #cinema #bondoncinema #cinematography #specialeffects #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproducer 
 

The Autism Friendly Film that's CHANGING THE GAME in Hollywood: ONCE MORE, LIKE RAIN MAN

My guests today are writer/actress Bella Zoe Martinez and writer/director Sue Ann Pien and their short film ONCE MORE, LIKE RAIN MAN.
Ladies and gentlemen, Bella Zoe Martinez put her advocacy into into practice, where in Once More, Like Rain Man, nearly 40% of the cast and crew are neurodivergent or are differently abled, demonstrating accommodations aren't a handicap. 
After watching this film so many times, Bella has a superpower and it’s writing and acting. She’s a born natural when it comes to everything the film industry has to offer. 
Sue Ann Pien brings her talented directing skills to this film. Literally, in the midst of dark, dramatic short films we see every year, ONCE MORE LIKE RAIN MAN is a breath of fresh air. 
It is humorous, it is heartfelt, but it’s also inspiring to all of us. This film should change the way Hollywood thinks, about actors who are neurodivergent, or have Downs Syndrome, or cerebral palsy for that matter. 
ONCE MORE LIKE RAIN MAN should be in my opinion on the Oscar Shortlist and it should be a new streaming series, so Netflix, Paramount and the rest of you. Turn your eyes to this incredible film and make it happen. 
Everything about this film is spot on perfect and I want more!!
#shortfilm #shortfilms #autism #neurodivergency #disability #acting #audition #film #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #cinema #cinephile #oscars #academyawards 
 

Giulia Louise Steigerwalt's SEX DIVA feature film: The True Story of Italy's Riccardo Schicchi's agency Diva Futura in 80s and 90s

My guest today is director Giulia Louise Steigerwalt, who  made her acting debut in Gabriele Muccino’s film But Forever in My Mind, continuing her career in other films and television series. 
Among her screenwriting credits are: Husband and Wife, The Champion, An Almost Ordinary Family and many others.
In 2019, she won the Nastro d’Argento Award for Best Screenplay for The Champon and Cross and Delight. September, her directorial debut, received several accolades, including the David di Donatello Award for Best New Director.
Giulia’s newest feature film, DIVA FUTURA, which will be known as SEX DIVA in its American release. The new feature film about the rise and fall of Italy’s first adult talent agency and the revolutionary family at its center will release globally on November 11 from Breaking Glass Pictures. 
Ladies and gentlemen, DIVA FUTURA or SEX DIVA as it will be titled for its American release, is about Italian Riccardo Schicchi's agency Diva Futura turns free love into porn, making stars of Ilona Staller Chi-cho-lina, Moana Pozzi and others. Their fame leads to Cicciolina's election and Pozzi's mayoral run.
The film dives deep into the studio that redefined notions of celebrity in Italy, spotlighting the unlikely blend of sexuality, politics, and cultural change that emerged from the Diva Futura studio in the 1980s and 1990s.
Giulia Louise Steigerwalt’s directing is one of absolute brilliance. The intertwining the multiple storylines keeps the audience’s eyes glued to the silver screen. 
The cast is absolute perfection with each actor perfect for their role. The audience will hang on every scene because the acting is authentic, emotional and draws you in like true cinema should do. 
One of the things I kept noticing was how incredible the cinematography was in DIVA FUTURA. While the acting was perfect, so too was the camera movements, which enhances the actor’s parts and I don’t mean body parts, but their acting parts. 
I could watch this film just for the cinematography, as Vladan Radovic’s camera work is simply stunning. If you want to know how to tell a story with a camera, this is the film to see. 
#italy #italiancinema #lovestory #sexdiva #divafutura #cinematography #sextrade #filmmaker #bondoncinema #movie #film

If You Should Leave Before Me - A Dream-like Quirky Film about Handling Grief on Your Own

My guests today are filmmakers J. Markus Anderson and Boyd Robert Anderson and their new feature film IF YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE ME. 
The Andersons are Chumash brothers who grew up in Idaho and moved back to their ancestral lands of southern California for one reason: to make great films. 
The two have worked together as a writer/director duo on projects of their own for over a decade. From web series like "For The Win" and "Food Quest" to their award winning short film "Limbo". 
In 2023 the Andersons started their production company Chiefs over Kings through which they produced their debut feature film "If You Should Leave Before Me". Their film had a world wide premiere at "Raindance Film Festival" this year.  
It is a a touching story of love and loss, so let’s welcome filmmakers J. Markus Anderson and Boyd Robert Anderson to the show.
Ladies and gentlemen, the feature film, IF YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE ME, is about a devastating loss that drives a rift between Mark and Joshua after many years of marital bliss. 
To avoid coping with their grief they immerse themselves in their work … which just so happens to be guiding the recently deceased to the afterlife. A touching story of love and loss.
There are multiple storylines in the film, almost like miniature chapters in a way. The filming is contained within Mark and Joshua’s home, but with doors that lead to others trying to navigate their way from this life to the next. 
When you have the chance to see this film, you will understand that love isn’t always full of roses and joy, but love is also about patience, kindness and overlooking the flaws in others as well as ourselves. And love never comes to end.
With grief and as the most famous saying has told us, Grief is just love looking for a place to go, and this film IF YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE ME. Explains it perfectly. 
#grief #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #screenwriter #loveandloss #cinema #bondoncinema #fantasy #cinematography #marriage #lovestory