International
Laughs, emotion color WIF awards
MUMBAI: From Jennifer Aniston‘s self-deprecating remarks about her personal life to Universal executive Stephanie Sperber‘s recounting of her emotional personal story, laughs and heart were in attendance at Women in Film‘s 2009 Crystal + Lucy Awards.
Aniston generated plenty of laughs when, after she accepted the Crystal Award in excellence in film from Stacey Snider, compared the titles of her films — The Good Girl, Rumor Has It, Derailed and The Break-Up — to the evolving goings on in her life at the time.
On a more serious note, Aniston said that no matter how much the entertainment industry may try to distill movies into pure science or pure business charts, powerful and authentic stories will be told. “The people in this room will find a way,” she said.
While Dorothy Arzner Directors Award recipient Catherine Hardwicke made a call for the room to write “beautiful parts for women of all ages, color and shoe sizes” and Lucy Award honoree Holly Hunter thanked everyone from her presenter Jodie Foster to the writers on her TNT show Saving Grace it was Universal executive vice president of partnerships and licensing Sperber who moved the crowd with her story of battling breast cancer.
Sperber recounted how last September, at age 43, she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, how she underwent six weeks of chemo, daily radiation therapy, a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, and had to have her ovaries removed. She also went through a divorce and found herself a single mom.
But, she said, it was the women in this industry that helped her through her terrible time.
“As I moved through every phase of this trial, and it was at times brutal in the true sense of the word, the support from this community grew,” Sperber said. “I never went to a chemo session alone. My daughter always had playdates if I couldn‘t get out of bed.
“I had a hand to hold as I was poked, undressed, biopsied, and injected. I was told I was beautiful even when I had no hair on my head or no lashes and no eyebrows. And somehow these women made me believe it…Producers, directors, writers, executive of every stripe, you all circled around me and protected me as best you could. Many of these women are here tonight. I want to thank them all.”
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.
