International
Wedding Party to open MIFF 2010
MUMBAI: Director Amanda Jane‘s The Wedding Party will open this year‘s Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).
The Wedding Party is set against the backdrop of an impending wedding, and follows the romantic and dramatic turns of the Thompson family and their relationships – from a deviant brother, and a sister with intimacy issues, to parents who have separated as a result of the father‘s infidelity, each couple must each face the one lesson that will get them through the complications of love.
The film features Australian actors including Isabel Lucas, Josh Lawson, Steve Bisley, Rhonda Burchmore, Essie Davis, Adam Zwar, Geoff Paine, Kestie Morassi, Nadine Garner and Bill Hunter.
This year MIFF 2010 will run for 18 days from 22 July 22 to 8 August with over 200 films scheduled to participate from around the globe in programme spotlights including international panorama, documentaries, neighbourhood watch, backbeat, animation as well as a special retrospective focusing on the subversive and political cinema legend Joe Dante.
Titles already announced to screen at this years festival include Chinese films City of Life and Death and Petition that was withdrawn from the festival last year after a controversy.
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.
