Haya Fatima Iqbal, an acclaimed Academy and two-time Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, is making waves once again! Her latest film, “As Far They Can Run,” has earned a nomination in the Outstanding Short Documentary category at the 44th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards. The documentary follows the inspiring journey of three young adults with intellectual disabilities from rural Pakistan as they are recruited into Pakistan’s Special Olympics Program.
Taking to her Instagram, she joyfully shared the exciting news of the Emmy nomination. She expressed, “Our film got nominated for an Emmy!” Speaking about the documentary, she shared her experiences capturing the lives of children in and around Mirpurkhas, who overcome challenges and receive training to become remarkable athletes. Haya was deeply moved to witness the care and dedication of the coaches, ensuring these children can reach new heights.
Among the featured individuals in the film, Sana Kapri was given a special spotlight, as she had the honour of lighting the torch at the Special Olympics in Berlin last month. “As Far As They Can Run” also tells the compelling stories of Ghulam and Sajawal, who faced rejection from their own families and struggled to survive under challenging circumstances.
Haya hopes to recreate a “red carpet” moment with her cinematographer, Nadir Siddiqui, who beautifully captured the essence of the film. The documentary stands alongside other remarkable works in the same category, such as “The Flagmakers” by Sharon Liese and Cynthia Wade, “Beirut Dreams in Color” by Michael Collins, “The Sentence of Michael Thompson” by Kyle Thrash and Haley Elizabeth Anderson, and “MINK!” from The New York Times’ Op-Docs, directed by Ben Proudfoot.
Previously, “As Far As They Can,” directed by Tanaz Eshaghian and produced by Christoph Jörg, was shortlisted for the Oscars 2022 in the Documentary Short Film category. Iqbal also co-produced “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness,” which brought Pakistan an Oscar for Best Documentary Short at the 88th Academy Awards in 2018.
Proud moment for Pakistan as another film ‘As Far As They Can Run’ shortlisted for Oscars
