International
France looks to breach Great Wall
HONG KONG: The biggest trade mission at the convention has come from France, which is aggresively looking at pushing their film and television content across the Great Wall that is China.
The seriousness with which France is approaching the issue can be gauged from the overwhelming presence of all things French at Filmart 2005, to the extent that Day 3 of the convention was headlined “French Day”. 37 companies are represented at Filmart led by Unifrance (largest exhibitor whose booth covers a massive 1125 sq m area at the convention centre), Film France and Ile De France Film Commission.
“This is a very good sign for Hong Kong and Asia that the French film and television business community is looking east again,” said Raymond Yip, TDC director of service promotion.
Speaking at the main session today “Franco-Chinese Partnerships Session”, Patrick Lamassoure made an impassioned call for Asian companies to get active in French co-production opportunities.
The biggest attraction that France offers, according to Lamassoure, is not just in locations and technical and creative expertise but also due to the fact that the French government is actively involved in promoting co-production efforts.
The French subsidy system works in a proactive manner in that it is not the individual but the industry itself that is tapped for funding activities. A tax of 10.9 per cent is collected on cinema hall tickets, and as far as television companies are concerned 5.5 per cent of their annual turnover goes in the entertainment tax.
The better a company does either in the box office or on TV in terms of ratings the higher the entitlement that the company has to access subsidy funding. There is a rider though. All the money thus obtained can only be used in film/TV production, nothing else.
Interestingly, in the whole of Asia, it is only India and Sri Lanka that have treaties in place that facilitate such co-production activities. In all other Asian markets, it is through private initiative that co-productions get off the ground.
Asked to provide examples of co-productions that had won critical and box office success, Lamassoure said that it was mostly in the art house circuit that the films had featured. However, one of the delegates present at the session, pointed out that two films that had tasted success internationally were Samsara (directed by Nalin Pan) and film adaptation of Roland Joffe’s City of Joy (starring Patrick Swayze, Om Puri, Pauline Collins).
As for television, there appears to be little activity happening between France and India, either on the co-production front or in use of locations.
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.
