Acclaimed Bangladeshi filmmaker Abu Shahed Emon captivated audiences at the Third Annual Japanese Film Festival Arizona (JFFA) with the US screening of his latest short film ‘Tenement of Secret Talk’.
The festival took place September 12 to 13 at the ASU Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center in Mesa, Arizona, with Emon in attendance for the event.
The eight-minute short was screened as part of the Short Film Program on Saturday, September 13 at 10:00 am in MIX Center Theater 201.
Filmed at Japan’s renowned Shochiku Studio, Tenement of Secret Talk is a classic jidaigeki (Japanese period drama) that follows a ronin (a samurai without a lord) who, while awaiting a promised reward, instead receives only a bottle of sake and the company of a quiet henchman who shares an enigmatic tale about a stone rumored to hold secrets.
The screening drew an enthusiastic response from audiences. Reina Higashitani, JFFA’s Director of Programming and Assistant Professor at ASU’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School, praised the film’s reception, noting that “the audience very much enjoyed the classical Jidaigeki film style.”
Festival founder Harumi Maejima emphasized the broader cultural significance of this year’s edition, which coincided with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
In her message, she reflected, “Cinema has long served as a bridge between cultures, a medium through which we can explore our shared humanity, learn from the past, and imagine a better future.”
She highlighted that JFFA remains a volunteer-driven initiative built on a shared love of storytelling, culture, and connection, and celebrated the festival’s new collaboration with ASU’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School at the MIX Center.
About Abu Shahed Emon
Abu Shahed Emon is a multi-award-winning Bangladeshi director, writer, and producer. His debut feature, ‘Jalal’s Story’ (2014), was the first Bangladeshi film in Busan’s New Currents Competition. He also produced ‘Sincerely Yours, Dhaka’ (2018), Bangladesh’s first Netflix anthology, and ‘No Ground Beneath the Feet’ (2021); both, along with Jalal’s Story, represented Bangladesh at the Oscars (2016, 2020, 2023).
His producing credits include ‘Komola Rocket’ (2018), ‘Damal’ (2022), ‘Paap Punyo’ (2022), ‘Beauty Circus’ (2022), ‘Roktojoba’ (2023), ‘A House with No Names’ (2023) and ‘Jaya Aar Sharmin’ (2025).
As a director, Emon’s acclaimed works include ‘The Container’ (2012), ‘Arai Mon Shopno’ (2020), ‘Mercules’ (2023) and Tenement of Secret Talk (2024).
About the Japanese Film Festival Arizona
The Japanese Film Festival Arizona is an annual event founded by Harumi Maejima and presented by the Japanese Culture Club of Arizona, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, in partnership with ASU’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School.
Entirely volunteer-driven, the festival is dedicated to sharing the richness and beauty of Japanese cinema with Arizona audiences, fostering cross-cultural dialogue, and celebrating the power of film as a bridge between communities.
