International
Rome Film Festival set to honour Fellini
MUMBAI: With the first screening of a restored copy and a retrospective of the glory days when Rome was called Hollywood , the Rome Film Festival will fete the 50th anniversary of Fellini‘s classic La Dolce Vita.
The 178-minute black and white La Dolce Vita, that premiered in 1960, has become an icon for film buffs.
The fifth edition of the festival will be held from 28 October to 5 November. It will open with Federico Fellini‘s Last Night.
Starring Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg and Anouk Aimee, the film was considered scandalous at the time but is quite tame by the standards of today, where more flesh can be seen in a television deodorant advert.
The festival will also include twenty four Italian films made from 1952 to 1980 and a series of exhibitions throughout Rome on the way the city was when the jet set flocked to the capital to see and be seen.
Besides, Last Night the main competition includes Rabbit Hole directed by John Cameron Mitchell starring Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest and Aaron Eckhart.
While Last Night is a tale of sexual attraction, betrayal and jealousy in which a couple‘s fidelity is tested during a 36-hour period when they are apart and with other people, Rabbit Hole is the story of a couple who grapple with the sudden loss of their child as their already troubled marriage is further tested by the bereavement.
The Focus Section of the festival will spotlight Japanese cinema and culture and will hold a special event dedicated to filmmaker Akira Kurosawa‘s birth centenary. The festival will screen the restored version of Kurosawa‘s 1950 masterpiece, Rashomon.
The major attraction of the Rome Film Festival is that actress Julianne Moore will receive an acting award while Keira Knightley, Eva Mendes and Aaron Eckhart will walk the red carpet to present their new movies.
The festival that will go underway on 29 October will end on 6 November.
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.
