International
Farhadi’s film wins top Sydney fest award
MUMBAI: Iranian film Nader and Simin, A Separation has won the top award, the Sydney Film Prize at the recently concluded Sydney Film Festival. Along with director Asghar Farhadi won Australian $ 60,000 as cash prize.
The film edged out other films like The Tree of Life, Sleeping Beauty, Take Shelter and The Future.
The film focuses on an Iranian middle-class couple who separate and the intrigues that follow when the husband hires a lower-class woman caretaker for his elderly father. What follows forms the crux of the film.
The concept of the film came from a number of personal experiences and abstract pictures that had been in Farhadi‘s mind for some time. Once he decided to make the film, about a year ago, it was quickly written and financed.
Akin to Farhadi‘s last three films, Nader and Simin, A Separation was made without any government support. The financing went without trouble as the producers was granted 25,000 US dollars in support from the Motion Picture Association‘s APSA Academy Film Fund
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.
