International
MPI Pictures launched
MUMBAI: Chicago-based MPI Media Group is launching a new theatrical distribution division, MPI Pictures, to handle six to eight theatrical releases per year – focusing on foreign-language films, indies and high-end genre fare.
While Greg Newman, executive vice president of MPI Media Group, will oversee the new division, Marie Therese Guirgis has come aboard as head of theatrical distribution. Additionally, Emily Woodburne and marketing executive Dan Goldberg have been hired to help oversee the initial slate.
“The mission is to buy films and release films theatrically that appeal to at least a broad niche demographically,” Guirgis has reportedly said.
The new entity is kicking off with an initial slate of seven films, which it has been assembling since last fall, and Newman and Guirgis will be heading to the upcoming Cannes Film Market to scout additional titles.
While MPI is primarily a home entertainment company, it has also begun producing and releasing genre movies, through its Dark Sky Films, such as Ti West‘s horror tale The Innkeepers, released through Magnolia, and Jim Mickle’s Stake Land, released by IFC. By creating its own distribution company, it will be able to release its own future productions itself.
MPI’s initial slate has films from Petra Eopperlein and Michael Tucker’s mixed martial arts documentary Fightville, which received a limited theatrical release April 20, since it is primarily intended for the VOD and digital markets, to the French feature Little White Lies, directed by Guillame Canet, which is scheduled to open Aug. 24 as a traditional platform New York/Los Angeles release before expanding to the top 20 markets or more.
The slate also includes: A Bag of Hammers, starring Jason Ritter and Rebecca Hall and directed by Brian Crano, May 11; Americano, directed by Mathieu Demy and starring Demy and Salma Hayek, June 15; The Big Picture, directed by Eric Lartigau and starring Romain Durais and Catherine Deneuve, October; Yelling to the Sky, directed by Victoria Mahoney and starring Zoe Kravitz and Jason Clark, January, 2013; and The Heineken Kidnapping, directed by Maarten Treurniet and starring Rutger Hauer.
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
