International
Israeli film bags top award at Tokyo fest
MUMBAI: Israeli film Intimate Grammar about a boy in the 1960s who stops growing for three years claimed the top prize at the 23rd Tokyo International Film Festival, giving director Nir Bergman the festival‘s main award for a second time.
The film that was awarded the $50,000 Sakura Grand Prix from among 15 competitors from over 80 countries and regions tells the story of Aaron, the son of a Holocaust survivor who seeks refinement and art amid an increasingly militant society.
Incidentally, Bergman becomes the first director to win the Sakura Prize twice, having previously won in 2002 for Broken Wings.
Bergman told a news conference last week that the film was based on an Israeli novel called “Book of Intimate Grammar” by David Grossman that “gave him an emotional shock as if reading about my own life.”
“I just loved the characters so much and I thought they deserved the big screen,” he was quoted by festival organizers as saying.
The award for Best Director went to Gilles Paquet-Brenner for Sarah‘s Key, a French film about the fate of a Jewish family during World War Two. The film won the Audience Award as well.
Kaneto Shindo, a 98-year-old Japanese director, won the special jury prize for Post Card that shows the impact of World War Two on the residents of a rural Japanese community.
Fan Bingbing won the Best Actress award for her role in Buddha Mountain a joint China-Taiwan co-production also took the award for Best Artistic Contribution. Wang Qianyuan won the Best Actor awards for The Piano in a Factory.
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.
