International
Alex Brunner is new co-president of Executive Media Group
MUMBAI: Exclusive Media Group has named Alex Brunner as the new co-president of the company‘s Exclusive Films International label that oversees worldwide sales and marketing efforts for feature films produced by Exclusive‘s labels – Hammer Films, Spitfire Pictures and Exclusive Films as well as library product and third-party productions. He had been serving as Exclusive‘s senior vp production and operations.
The company, headed by co-chairmen Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, has announced a new film fund that will be used to finance two to four acquisitions of up to $20 million per film each year. The new fund, which will fall under EFI, will allocate separate resources that will allow EFI to pick up movies, with EFI taking international distribution rights.
“We have substantial resources from our shareholders to fund productions, as we are doing with Peter Weir‘s The Way Back or George Clooney‘s The Ides of March, or the Daniel Radcliffe starrer The Woman in Black,” Sinclair and East said.
“However, this film pickup fund allows us to also take a piece of finished films from third parties – films in production and films where our distribution guarantee will form part of the finance plan of the movie,” the added.
Sinclair, Walton and Brunner will look for projects at Sundance and at next month‘s Berlin International Film Festival. Additionally, the group will be looking at potential acquisitions for Newmarket Films, Exclusive‘s U.S. distribution label.
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.
