Shuchi Talati Premieres Japanese-Language Short 'Hidden Sun' at IFFLA

Filmmaker Shuchi Talati premiered her Japanese-language short film 'Hidden Sun' at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA). The film, starring Pakistani actress Samiya Mumtaz and Japanese actors Kazuki Kitamura and Mieko Harada, centers on an older Indian-Japanese couple confronting unspoken emotions after encountering a retiring flamenco dancer. It was produced as part of Japanese stationery company Kokuyo’s 120th-anniversary initiative.

'Hidden Sun' is adapted from a chapter of Monona Wali’s forthcoming novel 'Sutra Americana' and marks Talati’s first project in Japan. The film shifts focus from the teenage protagonists of her 2024 Sundance-awarded debut 'Girls Will Be Girls' to an older academic couple, exploring repressed desire, rivalry, and emotional complexity. Talati described the story as an examination of how physical expression, particularly dance, can articulate what dialogue cannot.

'Girls Will Be Girls', which starred Kani Kusruti and Preeti Panigrahi, won two awards at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was co-produced by Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s Pushing Buttons Studios. Talati said the recognition has opened industry doors but emphasized that creative challenges in filmmaking remain unchanged.

Talati confirmed she is in early fundraising stages for her next feature. 'Hidden Sun' will continue its festival run, with screenings scheduled at upcoming international events.