International
33 Postcards to open in 8,000 screens in China
MUMBAI: 33 Postcards, an official Chinese-Australian co-production, will release in China in as many as 8,000 screens next month. A Mandarin version of the film that stars Guy Pearce, Claudia Karvan, Shu Lin and Lincoln Lewis will be released on 2 September.
33 Postcards is the story of 16-year-old Chinese orphan Mei Mei (Zhu Lin) who comes to Australia to meet her sponsor, Dean Randall (Guy Pearce) whose life turns out to be less postcard-perfect than she had imagined. Initially mismatched and disconnected, the two begin a journey in search of belonging and family.
Shot in New South Wales and at the Hengdian World Studios in China, 33 Postcards, has been produced by Portal Pictures and Zhejiang Hengdian Film Productions in association with IFS Capital Limited and Screen NSW and directed by Pauline Chan and .
33 Postcards had its world premiered at the Sydney Film Festival last June, followed by its international premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival the same month where actress Zhu Lin received the Shanghai International Film Festival Asian New Talent Award for her debut performance.
While Titan View will release the film in Australia and New Zealand later this year, Arclight will distribute the film globally.
As an official coproduction 33 Postcards gets an automatic release in China, although such wide releases are not always guaranteed.
CGI live action kids feature The Dragon Pearl, another Australian-Chinese co-pro, premi?red in China earlier this year.
News of 33 Postcards‘ Chinese release comes as producers guild, the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA), officially launches the Australia-China Screen Alliance, this week. It will assist both Australian and Chinese film and television producers navigate co-productions between the countries.
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.
