International
UK Jewish Film fest from tomorrow
MUMBAI: The 14th UK Jewish Film Festival, that goes underway from 4 to 21 October, will have the presence of stars like Maureen Lipman, David Baddiel, Davina McCall, Boy George, Al Murray and Graham Norton.
This year‘s festival will have 66 films selected from more than 350 entries. The successful films will be screened at 10 cinemas in London, including the Tricycle in Kilburn, the British Film Institute, Ciné Lumiere in Kensington and the Barbican. There will be as many as 47 UK premieres of films that have been drawn from 16 countries.
One such UK premiere will be that of The Round Up that is based on the mass arrest and round-up in the Paris velodrome of 13,000 Jews including 4,000 children by the French police in July 1942. A box-office hit in France, the film stars Jean Reno, Mélanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds) and, amazingly, a real-life survivor who is now 80 years old.
The festival also showcases new talent, most intriguing is A Jewish Girl in Shanghai, a Chinese animated film based on Wu Lin‘s graphic novel about the Holocaust. It tells the little-known story of Little Vienna, a area of China‘s most populated city in which some 30,000 Jewish refugees sought shelter during the Second World War.
Among the comedies on offer will be the UK premiere of Arab Labour made from an Israeli series by Sayed Kashua.
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.
