Bangladeshi short ‘A Thing about Kashem’ wins at Rhode Island International Film Festival

Bangladeshi filmmaker Bijon Imtiaz has earned international recognition with his short film "A Thing about Kashem", which won the Grand Prize in the Alternative Spirit (Short) category at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event. The achievement means the film is now eligible for submission to the Academy Awards, stepping one significant step closer to competing on the global stage.

The 17-minute film, starring acclaimed actor Intekhab Dinar in the lead role, also features Moutushi Biswas, Hasnat Ripon, Kamruzzaman Tapu, and Tonushree Karkun. The screenplay was written by Nuhash Humayun, with Bijon himself contributing to the story. Produced under the banners of Goopy Bagha, Long Story, Screenxcope, the project is backed by producers Arifur Rahman, Nuhash Humayun, Imran Ahmed, Sakib Iftekhar, and Nusrat Amin Supti.

Currently based in the United States, where he teaches and studies film, Bijon described the project as his return to pure creativity. Announcing the win on social media, he wrote, "With age, we often lose spontaneity… But after so long, I've made a film just for the joy of making it. To feel spontaneous—even briefly—felt extraordinarily good." His words capture the spirit of the work, which portrays the inner struggle of a man who discovers a hidden self within him, a revelation that unsettles his life and forces him into a confrontation with identity.

Producer Arifur Rahman, who also directed the Chorki web-series "Baaji," noted that the prize carries immense weight for Bangladeshi cinema. Speaking to Independent Digital, he said, "Many films enter Oscar-qualifying festivals, but winning the Grand Prize is a different significance altogether. Especially for a Bangladeshi short, it's monumental. Lobbying for the Academy often costs more than the film itself, so winning such a prize already feels like a huge achievement." 

He added that the film's theme has universal relevance. "Each of us lives with hidden selves, an inner conflict we carry quietly. The film explores what happens when a man is suddenly forced to face that other existence. It's unsettling but deeply human."

Actor Hashnat Ripon, who joined the cast through an audition, described the experience as "wonderful, very organised, and truly international in standard." He praised Bijon's academic grounding in film and highlighted the extensive rehearsals and training that prepared him for the role.

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Alongside Rhode Island, "A Thing about Kashem" has already travelled to several international festivals, including the Caostica International Shortfilm and Videoclip Festival in Spain, the 48th Asian American International Film Festival in New York, and the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival. More Oscar-qualifying screenings are expected in the coming months, keeping the film's Academy prospects alive.