International
Keanu Reeves‘ globally acclaimed ‘Side By Side’ to open 0110 International Digital Film Festival
NEW DELHI: The globally acclaimed documentary ‘Side by Side’ produced by Keanu Reeves and directed by Christopher Kenneally will be the opening film at the 0110 International Digital Film Festival 2013 (IDDF 2013).
A high profile jury including Kabir Khan, Vinay Pathak and Sudhir Mishra among other eminent names will adjudge the films.
The fifth edition of this festival will be held from 26 January to 1 February at The India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, where the focus would be more on movie screenings, and then travel to Whistling Woods¸ Mumbai, from 2 February till 8 February, where there would also be a week long itinerary of industry workshops and seminars in addition to the screenings.
This year, like in the previous editions, the festival is slated to draw big names including industry figureheads such as Sudhir Mishra, Anurag Kashyap, Q (Qaushik Mukherjee – director of Gandu), Roysten Able, Vikram Bhatt and renowned Hollywood producer Jason Kilot, amongst others.
Festival director Madhureeta Anand said: “The festival is not limited to competing and screening of cinema, it is a destination for genuine cinema centric education with interactive workshops and seminars headed by some of the most prominent names of the fraternity. 0110 IDFF’s core aim is to promote the all pervasive digital medium of cinema but more importantly to bridge the gap between indigenous and international cinema. Creating a common platform for liberal interactions and exchange, broadening the horizon of Indian cinema and film makers as a whole.” Anand conceived the festival.
“The success of any endeavour lies in the amalgamation of the new and the old” she added.
An annual event, 0110 IDFF is a platform which upholds the format of digital film making and acknowledges the fact that digital format has metamorphosed in to a well-accepted medium from a limited medium of film making. It continues to be an exclusive medium of interaction between global filmmakers using the digital medium. The festival is categorized in such a way that that it touches all faculties of digital cinema which includes feature films, documentaries, films made by students, films shot on mobiles, digital art installations and animation and special effects.
International
Moskino and Bollywood: Moscow Film Cluster and Film City Mumbai signed a cooperation agreement
Moscow Film Cluster has signed a cooperation agreement with Film City Mumbai. The parties agreed to cooperate in developing the film industry, promoting shooting locations and supporting filmmakers.
The memorandum was signed on the sidelines of the India International Film Tourism (IIFTC) Conclave in Mumbai. At this forum, the Moscow Film Cluster presented Moscow’s opportunities for film shooting, including infrastructure projects such as Film City Moskino and Film Factory. Special attention was paid to the Moscow rebate system – up to 45% – and the co-production development.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Film City and Moscow Film Cluster provides for the establishment and development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the film industry development, including joint promotion of shooting locations, support for filmmakers, implementation of marketing and industry events, development of incentive support measures and strengthening of economic and cultural interaction between India and Moscow.
The parties also intend to promote the development of the audiovisual sector through the exchange of experience, joint initiatives and the search for opportunities to create new industry partnerships and clusters.
Moscow Film Cluster is a major city initiative led by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to develop the capital into a global cinema hub. It brings together key production infrastructure – such as the Moskino Film Сity, Film Factory and Gorky Film Studio – along with the Film Commission, digital platform and cinema chain to streamline shooting, support productions and attract international filmmaking to Moscow.
Also, Moscow offers a rebate of up to 45%: 30% as direct production cost compensation, up to 15% for visa and accommodation support. The Moscow Image Grant provides up to $255,000 for films showcasing iconic city views.
The Moscow Film Cluster booth attracted considerable attention from Indian producers and studios. Over 80 business meetings were held, including those with major Indian companies.
One of the booth guests was the famous Indian actress Khushboo Sundar, known to Soviet and Russian audiences for her role in My Soul and considered the leading star of Tamil cinema, in whose honor one of the local temples was even built. Prithul Kumar, representative of the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of the officials responsible for regulating the film industry in the country, also expressed interest in the development of the Moscow Film Cluster.
One of the highlights of the India International Film Tourism Conclave was the awarding of The Greatest of All Time in the For Cinematic Excellence category. The movie was shot in Moscow. The jury members noted the project’s contribution to the development of tourism.
The shooting of The Greatest of All Time AGS by Entertainment was organized with the assistance of the Moscow Film Cluster and the Moscow Film Commission and took place in April 2024 on the streets of Moscow. The scenes were shot in such famous locations as Patriarch Bridge, Teatralnaya Square, Manezhnaya Square, Kazarmenny Lane, Podsosensky Lane, Nikolskaya Street and one of the festival venues of Moscow Seasons.
The Greatest of All Time became a landmark event in Indian box office history. It ranked fourth in box office earnings among all movies released in India in 2024 and is one of the most successful Tamil-language movies in history.
At the same time, the shooting of another joint Russian-Indian movie started at the Moskino Film City in Moscow. A film project dedicated to badminton became one of the first participants in the Moscow rebate program.
A project by Smena & WISH Media (Russia) and Kartina Entertainment And Sports Private Limited (India) will tell the story of a badminton player who travels to India with the Russian national team to compete in a tournament. Russian viewers will see for the first time the scale of sporting competitions in Asia, where badminton is a cult sport and draws packed stands of fans.
The agreement on the joint production of the Smash movie was signed st the Moscow International Film Week in August 2025. And as Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, a rebate application was also submitted at that time to reimburse part of the costs incurred during the shooting process in the Russian capital.
