International
Anti-piracy campaign in Australia rolls
MUMBAI: Australian anti-piracy body the Intellectual Property Awareness Foundation (IPAF) has started rolling out a major new national advertising and public education campaign, covering print, television, radio, cinema and social media to combat the findings of a research that found that 1 out of 3 Australians are involved in film and TV content theft or piracy.
“Our research provided us with some shocking overall statistics such as 53% of people pirated film or TV content during the year. We also found that people think they are basically honest. We learned some Australians don’t agree with piracy and don’t think they contribute to the content theft problem while regularly doing it. People aren’t making the connection between their actions and their beliefs,” said IPAF CEO Gail Grant.
The campaign that runs under the tagline “The Accidental Pirate,” through TV and cinema commercials is designed to make people question their actions and attitudes towards piracy and to find out more. The new campaign replaces the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft three-year-old campaign, “What Are You Really Burning?”
IPAF is a coalition of industry groups and others involved in the entertainment sector, the membership of which includes the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia, the MPA, AFACT, several pay TV operators and various cinema and home entertainment organisations.
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.
