International
Academy shifting testimonial awards to November
MUMBAI: In a move that will further alter the shape of the annual Oscar broadcast, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that it is moving its testimonial awards to another event to be held in November.
Academy honours — like the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award (which recognizes producers), the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and Honorary Awards – had traditionally been given out during the Oscar telecast.
Moving forward, they will be handed out instead at a new, black-tie dinner event for about 500 invitees, which will include film clips as well as remarks from the honorees‘ colleagues.
The Academy‘s board of governors approved the change Tuesday night at its monthly meeting, where it also approved the idea of nominating 10, rather than five, movies for best picture.
In previous years, the honorees were chosen in December. Under the new process, they will now be selected by the board of governors in September.
While the Academy said the honorees will also be acknowledged during the broadcast, presumably the show will not spend as much time highlighting their careers — which, in turn, would make room for shifting the spotlight to the bigger list of best picture nominees.
“For some years now, the board has struggled to balance the desire to truly honor worthy individuals with the time limitations that the Oscar telecast imposes on these honours,” Academy president Sid Ganis said while announcing the change.
“By creating a separate event for recognising these outstanding people in the movie industry, we‘re ensuring that each honoree will be given his or her full due, without compromise.”
While the move may have the effect of streamlining the Oscar show a bit, it also could lead to the loss of some of the emotional highlights such as the Honorary Award presentation to Sidney Poitier in 2002, which led to Denzel Washington‘s heartfelt salute to Poitier when Washington accepted his best actor trophy for Training Day.
Other recent recipients of the awards were Jerry Lewis who was presented with the Hersholt Award last February, art director Robert Boyle who received an Honorary Award in 2008 and Dino De Laurentiis, who was honoured with the Thalberg Award in 2001.
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.
