International
Lea Dizon offered to helm Hollywood film
MUMBAI: Los Angeles-based 22-year old director-writer Lea Dizon has been offered to produce a Hollywood film. The offer came two months after Dizon secured her master‘s degree in Film and TV Production from the University of Southern California (USC) last year.
GMA News Online, in its report has posted that Dizon related that a sci-fi movie project was broached to her by her graduate school classmates Matthew Breault and Alex George Pickering of the Fifth Floor Balcony Pictures.
“I met both of them while taking my masters at USC. We were all in the same class. I have worked with Matt before and I think he is a talented director. When he pitched me the idea, which he co-wrote with Alex, I thought it was fantastic,” she has reportedly said.
Impulse Control centers on the life of a family trying to survive in a world engulfed by a strange epidemic that immensely reduces human control over violent impulses. The report noted that the filmmaker will start rolling for Impulse Control later this year with release date set sometime in December next year.
Originally from Angeles City, Pampanga, Dizon earned her Broadcast Communication degree from the University of the Philippines. Prior to chasing her American Dream in Los Angeles in 2007, Dizon initially worked as a writer and a producer in ABC 5 (now TV5) and ABS-CBN. Then, she became part of the creative department of ABS-CBN‘s film production arm Star Cinema.
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.
