Nabat Shir is an Emmy Award-winning director, writer, and producer from Turkmenistan. She is the first filmmaker from her country to premiere a film in Los Angeles. Her short film, The Window, had its world premiere in October 2024 at two Hollywood festivals: the City of Angels Film Festival and the 20th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival. She was honored with the Best Female Director Award at the City of Angels Film Festival.

          The Window won three awards at the Italian Sipontum Arthouse International Film Festival, Summer 2024 Ed.: Best Screenplay for Nabat, Best Sound Design for Mark Otim, and Best Cinematography for Yuuki Shimizu. It continued its festival journey, winning Best Short Film at the British Golden Nugget Film Festival, Autumn 2024 Ed.

         In 2025, the Mimi Meets Mio Spec Ad, directed by Shir for Mio (Kraft Heinz), won Southeast Student Emmy - the NATAS Student Production Awards. This honor is one of the highest recognitions for student filmmakers, celebrating exceptional talent in television production. Prior to this achievement, the ad had already earned a Bronze Pencil at The One Club for Creativity’s Young Ones Awards in 2024. This prestigious award ceremony, held in New York City, widely recognized as one of the top student competitions in advertising and design. 

          Shir is also the first filmmaker from Turkmenistan to receive the prestigious Fulbright Grant—an esteemed U.S. government program that has promoted mutual understanding through international exchange for over 75 years. She holds an MFA in Film and Television from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and is an alumna of the Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship Program.

        Nabat began her creative journey in 2016, co-founding ARGACH FILMS, a video and photo production studio. Her career in visual media reached a significant milestone in 2020 when she directed a music video for the renowned composer Rovshen Nepesov. The emotional response from audiences, such as the tears shed while watching the short film, confirmed for Nabat that she had found her calling. Her short film Creator was shot as part of the 48 Hours Film Race in 2020. It was nominated and included among the Top 48 Best Short Films in Central Asia, where Nabat served as director, producer, writer, and editor.

          In her pursuit to expand the potential of cinema to craft a profoundly emotional experience for audiences and to explore the depths of the human experience, Nabat pushes the boundaries of film through a highly creative approach to storytelling. She experiments with visual aesthetics, sound design, performance, complex characters, and scripts that blend intellectual depth with poignant narratives. Shir is also passionate about sharing narratives centered on women, advocating for the amplification of female perspectives in storytelling.