International
Jafar Panahi to receive Carrosse d’or award
MUMBAI: Currently under arrest, Iranian director Jafar Panahi will receive this year’s Carrosse d’or or the Golden Coach Prize. Carrosse d’or is a tribute by Directors’ Fortnight to a director for his or her innovative qualities, courage and independent-mindedness of his or her work.
Panahi won the Camera d’Or award at the Cannes film festival in 1995 for his debut feature The White Balloon. He was jailed for six years and banned from directing films for 20 years after his films were regarded to be critical of the current regime in Iran in December last year.
Festival de Cannes will keep a seat empty in the middle of the orchestra at the Croisette theatre, the venue for the festival’s Directors’ Fortnight.
Berlin International Film festival too kept a chair empty at this year’s Jury in protest of his confinement, early 2011.
The Carrosse d’or comprising of a bronze statuette inspired by the figures of the Comedia dell’Arte and Jean Renoir’s film of the same name, has been earlier awarded to Jacques Rozier, Clint Eastwood, Nanni Moretti, Sembene Ousmane, David Cronenberg, Alain Cavalier, Jim Jarmusch, Naomie Kawase and Agnes Varda since it was first presented in 2002.
The Cannes Film Festival will take place from 12 to 22 May.
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.
