International
Richard Shepard to direct ‘The Angriest Man in Brookyln’
MUMBAI: Richard Shepard has signed to helm Overture Films‘ dark comedy The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.
The project, originally titled 92 Minutes and based on a 1997 Israeli film explores how a New York City man uses the last hour and a half of life he‘s been told he has left. Daniel Taplitz adapted the screenplay from writer-director Assi Dayan‘s original Mar Baum.
Bob Cooper‘s Landscape Entertainment is producing the film with Daniel Walker of Force Majeure. Exec Lauren Kisilevsky is overseeing the project for Overture.
“I love multi-toned films, and this is an extremely smart, unique and funny story,” Shepard said. “It is also very emotional, without an ounce of undue sentimentality.”
Shepard, repped by Gersh and Industry Entertainment, wrote and directed The Matador and The Hunting Party. He also directed the pilots for Criminal Minds, In the Motherhood and Ugly Betty, for which he won an Emmy.
Shepard‘s documentary about the late Godfather and Deer Hunter star John Cazale, I Knew It Was You premiered at Sundance in January and will air on HBO next year.
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.
