International
Hong Kong film financing forum announces awards
MUMBAI: The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) will be held from 22 – 24 March 2005 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
Four awards will be presented to filmmakers at the Haf Awards presentation ceremony on 24 March.
Haf is being co-organsied by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association (MPIA). Haf is a matchmaking forum and aims at facilitating possible co-productions and co-ventures between Asia’s most promising filmmakers and a host of film financiers, distributors, buyers and agents.
Earlier this year a Reading Committee of seasoned industry professionals selected 28 promising film projects from across Asia for this year’s Project Book. Four of these film projects will be selected to be the recipients of monetary and in-kind awards from a host of industry supporters.
The Haf Award will present HK$100,000 to a Haf project from the 10 Hong Kong-based projects selected in this year’s Project Book. Chosen by the Haf Reading Committee, this award will be granted to a film project for the creativity of the synopsis.
The Focus Award will present HK$120,000 to a Haf project submitted by a director with three or fewer feature drama films to his/her portfolio. Then there is The Hubert Bals Fund Award worth HK$100,000. The Hubert Bals Fund Award of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, an International Partner of the Haf, will present the award to a Haf project by a filmmaker from a developing country. Selected by a representative of the Hubert Bals Fund, this award will be granted to a filmmaker from either China, Indonesia, Thailand, Iran or the Philippines. Hubert Bals says, “The future of cinematography is not to be expected from Europe or the US, but all the more from lesser known film cultures.”
The Cinedigit Award will present two awards valued at HK$100,000 each to two Haf film projects regarded as possessing the best potential for co-financing. Selected and presented by the Hong Kong based production company Cinedigit Sound the two awards will recognise the synopsis of filmmakers with promising co-financing ability.
There will also be a film financing symposium on 22 March 2005. The speakers will include Screen International’s Patrick Frater and Cinefinance’s Fred Milstein.
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.
