Afia Nathaniel is the Founder of Zambeel Films in Pakistan, a production company for independent feature films. She has won several awards for her project Neither the Veil nor the Four Walls, including a development grant from National Geographic, and Ezra Litwak Distinction in Screenwriting and IFP Market Emerging Narrative awards.

Nathaniel’s directorial debut short film Nadah premiered in Rotterdam and was nominated for the Golden Reel Award in Los Angeles. Her writing debut Butterfly won several awards including Audience Choice Award at Asia-expo, France; Best International Short in Napa Valley; and Best Graduate Film at the Ivy Film Festival. Nathaniel’s thesis short film Long After was a recipient of the prestigious HBO Development Award, Milos Forman Finishing Fund, and a post-production grant from the Caucus for Television Producers, Writers & Directors Foundation. The film premiered at Montreal Film Festival and is being distributed by Ouat Media. Nathaniel graduated as a Dean’s Scholar from Columbia University with an MFA in Film Directing & Screenwriting. More information on her work is available at: www.zambeelfilms.com.