International
Galway Film Fleadh opens
MUMBAI: This year‘s Galway Film Fleadh that opened last evening will pay a tribute to filmmaker and festival producer Leila Doolan. On the occasion, the Ireland‘s leading film festival is also organising a workshop with actress Annette Bebing.
Films to be screened at the festival include eighteen new Irish films and several vintage movies from the Irish Film Archive along with world premieres, international features, documentaries, animation and shorts.
The festival opens with My Brothers that tells the story of three young brothers who set out on a mission in a battered bread van on a Hallowe‘en weekend to replace their dying father‘s watch.
Bening co-stars with Julianne Moore in The Kids are All Right as a lesbian couple in southern California, one of whose kids wants to meet their “bio-dad”.
Among the documentaries that would be screened are The Pipe by Risteard Ó Dómhnaill, a portrait of the pressures within a community living with the Corrib gas project in north Mayo, and Burma Soldier, a profile of a former soldier and member of the Burmese junta who becomes a pro-democracy activist.
The tribute to Doolan takes the form of a public interview on 10 July.
Doolan worked in RTÉ, Ireland‘s National Television and Radio Broadcaster in the 60s was first chairwoman of the Irish Film Board and was a key mover in the Burren Action Group that successfully opposed original plans to build an interpretative centre at Mullaghmore, Co Clare.
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.
