International
Producer recruiting military for film projects
MUMBAI: With the intent to choose at least one project per year to produce and finance, Hollywood filmmaker Larry Meistrich‘s GI Pictures, best known for producing the Oscar-winning film Sling Blade, is soliciting movie and TV pitches from active members of the military, veterans and their family members.
Beyond pitching, GI Pictures wants the projects to be made entirely by current and retired military personnel and family members, including writing, directing, producing acting and all crew members. Those with potential but no experience, he‘ll train. “My management team fits because we all have parents who were in the military,” Meistrich said.
“The skills acquired during a military career are very complementary to production,” he said. “The way a set runs is similar to a chain of command, but we‘re obviously not risking our lives.”
Although Meistrich acknowledges the “fertile ground for ideas” that come from military life and war, he says he‘s encouraging stories having nothing to do with either.
Meistrich revealed that his father was a captain in the U.S. Army and a veteran of the Vietnam War. “We wanted to support the troops with more than just a yellow ribbon,” he said of his incentive to create GI Pictures.
Dana Offenbach, a president of NEHST, will oversee productions at GI Pictures. Offenbach‘s credits include several independent films including the Miramax movie “Hav Plenty.”
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.
