International
Cinema ads slow but still grow
MUMBAI: Revenue from advertising in U.S. movie theaters grew just 5.8 per cent last year marking the slowest gain in the seven years that such statistics have been kept.
Still, the Cinema Advertising Council, which is about to release its 2008 report can boast of an ad industry still showing growth while most others are not.
“Media has seen such huge slippage — with audiences and advertisers both leaving — that to have a medium with growth is significant,” CAC president and chairman David Kupiec said.
According to the CAC, cinema advertising in the U.S. grew 5.8 per cent to $571 million in 2008, down from 19 per cent growth the previous year and 15 per cent the year before that.
The CAC has been keeping track of revenue generated by the industry since 2002, when the industry took in just $186 million. Since then, it has grown at an average clip of 21 per cent each year.
The CAC measures ad dollars from onscreen and other in-theater initiatives but only at member theaters, which account for 82 per cent of U.S. movie screens.
Kupiec said that this year theaters are closing more ad deals than last year, but, because of the weak economy, they are smaller in size.
Advertisers pay a premium on a CPM basis for cinema advertising compared with television because the recall rate is as much as five times greater, Kupiec said.
Cinema ad campaigns can run as high as $2 million a month for ads on 30,000 screens. On a CPM basis, they usually run $30-$40, about twice the going rate for primetime television.
In 2008, 90 per cent of cinema advertising was of the onscreen variety, while lobby-based ads, sampling, concession promotions, etc. made up the other 10%.
The CAC said 77 per cent of the ad revenue last year came from national and regional advertisers and that the remainder was from local sales.
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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.
