International
HBO US to air documentary on Joe Biden’s first year as US President
Mumbai: In the recently released trailer, HBO announced a documentary, Year One: A Political Odyssey, which chronicles Biden’s first year as US president.
The documentary is directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker John Maggio, executive produced by Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist David Sanger, and produced by Caroline Cannon and Caroline Pahl. HBO’s Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller serve as executive producers, while Tina Nguyen is the senior producer. It is set to debut on 19 October on HBO and HBO Max.
Bookended by Inauguration Day 2021 and the state of the union speech of March 2022, this is a front-seat account of the Biden administration’s tense first year, marked by security threats both at home and abroad. Assuming office only two weeks after the 6 January 2021 attack on the Capitol, Biden’s presidency entered the maelstrom of an ongoing global pandemic, renewed conflicts with Russia and China, and America’s international standing in decline.
The documentary follows the US President’s inner circle, taking viewers inside the White House, the State Department, the CIA, and the Pentagon, while it dives deep into America’s response to a number of unfolding historical events: the effort to immunise a nation against an ever-morphing pandemic; continued divisiveness following 6 January; the withdrawal from Afghanistan; the rise of autocratic regimes across the globe; and increasingly adversarial relations with two nuclear superpowers: Russia and China. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022 became the crucible by which America’s fragile alliances were measured-and created new forms of nuclear menace. The documentary explores each developing situation with chronological immediacy and intimate, unprecedented access to Biden’s cabinet members, tracing history as it happens.
It combines archival news footage with revealing insider interviews with key players from Biden’s cabinet, providing contemporaneous accounts of history in the making. Participants include secretary of state Antony Blinken; national security advisor Jake Sullivan; secretary of defence Lloyd Austin; CIA director William Burns; White House chief of staff Ron Klain; special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry; White House press secretary Jen Psaki; counsellor to the president Jeff Zeints; representatives Adam Schiff and Jim Jordan; senator Chris Coons; journalists; global ambassadors; and covid-19 advisors. David E. Sanger of The New York Times guides the interpretation of the fast-moving events in global politics.
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.
