International
Gulf film fest to spotlight French director Vogel
MUMBAI: The spotlight of this year‘s Gulf Film Festival – the annual event celebrating Gulf cinema held under the patronage of Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum – will be on French filmmaker Francois Vogel. An eclectic selection of his 16 short films is due to be screened.
Globally renowned for his arresting visuals that blend the best of traditional filmmaking with New Age digital media, Vogel is as much an illustrious digital photographer as a filmmaker who experiments with cubist squares, three dimensional approaches and free-moving elements.
GFF Festival Director Masoud Amralla Al Ali says that the selection of Vogel‘s shorts for the ‘In Focus‘ segment of the festival is reflective of the evolution in filmmaking techniques today. “With technology breaking all barriers in film-making, young filmmakers show a growing interest in digital filmmaking techniques.”
“Vogel is known for his creative liberties in manipulating the space between the subject and the camera, even as he explores serious subject matter such as the absurdity of wars. His movies will serve as a referral point in new age film-making, and inspire regional filmmakers to look beyond the accepted frontiers,” he added.
Vogel began his career in visual arts with video artist Dominik Barbier‘s gallery installations and gained international acclaim with his ‘You‘ campaign for HP. He conceputalised the ‘Picture Book‘ campaign that won AdWeek‘s Campaign of the Year.
Some of films of Vogel to be screened from 8 to 14 April are After the Rain; Cuisine; Rebus; Les Crabes; Tournis; Trois petits chats; Readymade, Live @ the End; Rue Francis; Faux plafond; Cueillette; La Poule Gerard; Le Bruit de la vrillette; Riante contree; La Sieste sous les cocotiers; Un cirque vraiment extraordinaire and Stretching.
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.
