International
October, Nostalgia win top awards at Cinema Tropical awards
MUMBAI: Daniel and Diego Vega‘s film October from Peru and Patricio Guzmán‘s Nostalgia have topped the Best Feature Film and Best Documentary categories of the 2nd annual edition of the Cinema Tropical awards.
Mexican film The Tiniest Place by Tatiana Huezo won two awards for Best First Film and Best Director (Documentary Film) while another Mexican Michael Rowe was awarded as the Best Director (Feature Film) for Leap Year.
The non-profit media arts organization Cinema Tropical also announced that the audience will have the chance to see the four award-winning films once again as they will be showcased in a special series to take place on January 21 and 22, next year at 92YTribeca in New York City, followed by other venues in cities around the country throughout 2012.
The films were selected from a list of Latin American feature films with a minimum of 60 minutes in length that were premiered between January 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011.
The winners of this year‘s Cinema Tropical awards were selected by a jury panel that comprised of Sally Berger, Assistant Curator, The Museum of Modern Art; Nicolás Entel, filmmaker; Marcela Goglio, Programmer, Latinbeat, The Film Society of Lincoln Center; Jerónimo Rodríguez, film critic, NY1 News/Noticias; Paul Julian Smith, FBA, film scholar and critic, CUNY
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.
