Movies
FridayFictionFilms launches CSR films
Mumbai: FridayFictionFilms, the award-winning Indian film production company, has introduced a specialised filmmaking service for corporates engaged in social projects. Called CSR films, the service will bring FridayFictionFilms’ decade-old experience in handling social causes such as light pollution, parenting, language manipulation, child abuse, lesbian wedding and global terrorism.
“Corporate films on social projects require specialised handling of narratives, one that tackles the cause as much as the project’s quantifiable and economic impact. These films not only report but also motivate businesses and the general public on issues they feel strongly about. CSR Films are our experience of over ten years of narrating issues through short films and creating tangible impacts,” said FridayFictionFilms CEO & founder Tanmay Shah.
FridayFictionFilms has collaborations in place with prominent organisations across multiple sectors including IIM Ahmedabad, DDB Mudra, Levi’s, CWAS (Centre for Water and Sanitation), Shree Orthocare, Kalorex Group and Otsuka for CSR films. Over ten years, the production house has collaborated with 100-plus businesses on issues of climate change, poverty alleviation, education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and sustainable cities and communities using television commercials (TVC), animation videos, corporate films, CSR films, and short documentaries.
The CSR films service will use a creative community-inclusive approach and utilise narratives such as stop-motion and animation to create impactful content for corporate social projects. Beyond the corporate projects, FFF will also use strategic partnerships with NGOs and corporations to facilitate fund-raising for projects, including government support where required. The company’s recent work for Setu Charitable Trust raised half a million rupees almost overnight for a community hospital in Gujarat. Today the hospital serves 400 patients every week.
“With the explosion of video consumption in people’s day-to-day lives, we foresee CSR Films becoming impact measurement reports for CSR projects. These social reports will humanise social activities and foster relatability and inspire action among stakeholders,” added Shah.
FridayFictionFilms social films have consistently reached wide audiences across platforms on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, with many of them traveling to film festival circuits and being shown at corporate events and social gatherings.
Hollywood
Who won what at the Oscars 2026? Full winners list from the 98th Academy Awards
A night of history, high drama, and gingery wit at the 98th Academy Awards
LOS ANGELES: If the 98th Academy Awards taught us anything, it is that Hollywood still loves a tortured genius and a well-timed ginger joke. While the night was technically a coronation for Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling war drama One Battle After Another, the real battle was fought in the stalls of the Dolby Theatre as host Conan O’Brien unleashed a monologue that was part roast, part group therapy session.
The evening belonged to the cinematic heavyweights. One Battle After Another lived up to its title, clinching Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Anderson, the perennial bridesmaid of the Oscars, finally took home the big prizes, cementing his status as the industry’s favourite auteur.
In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan made history. Winning Best Actor for his visceral performance in the supernatural thriller Sinners, he became only the fourth Black man to win the trophy. His speech was a masterclass in humility, though he spared a moment to thank his trainer for “making me look like I could actually fight a demon.”
The history books were rewritten several times over. Autumn Durald Arkapaw shattered a long-standing glass ceiling by becoming the first woman to win Best Cinematography for Sinners. Meanwhile, the newly minted Best Achievement in Casting category saw its inaugural trophy go to the ensemble of One Battle After Another.
Returning to the stage with his signature quiff and self-deprecating bite, Conan O’Brien did not hold back. He began by acknowledging the elephant in the room: his own presence.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he quipped. “Why is the ghost of a Victorian chimney sweep hosting the Oscars? It’s because AI is too expensive and I work for sandwiches.”
The controversy kicked off when he turned his sights on the Best Visual Effects nominees. Pointing at the Avatar: Fire and Ash table, he remarked:
“James Cameron has spent so much money on blue people that the actual ocean is now jealous of his budget. Jim, at some point, you have to admit this is just a very expensive aquarium hobby.”
He also took a cheeky swipe at the trend of method acting, specifically targeting Sean Penn.
“Sean stayed in character for so long that his own family had to serve him a subpoena just to get him to come to Sunday roast,” O’Brien joked, to a mix of nervous titters and Penn’s trademark stony glare.
The night was not without its “did he really say that?” moments. During a bit about the length of the telecast, O’Brien noted that the show was running so long that:
“By the time we get to Best Picture, the winner will have already been rebooted as a gritty limited series on Max.”
He also touched on the industry’s obsession with youth, pointing at a young starlet and saying:
“You’re so young that your first memory is actually a TikTok of this monologue.”
While most took it in stride, some critics on social media called the joke “typical boomer energy,” though O’Brien seemed entirely unfazed.
The full winners’ circle:
Best Picture: One Battle After Another
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan (Weapons)
Best Animated Feature: K-Pop: Demon Hunters
Best Original Song: “Golden” from K-Pop: Demon Hunters
As the curtains closed and the A-list headed for the after-parties, the mood was one of relief. Hollywood had managed to celebrate its past while poking fun at its increasingly digital future. Whether the night belonged to the war heroes of PTA or the witty barbs of a tall redhead remains a matter of debate.
