International
Melbourne Fest to open with The Fairy on 21 July
MUMBAI: This year‘s Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) will begin with the Belgian film The Fairy and the world premiere of Fred Schepisi‘s The Eye Of The Storm when it opens July 21.
Said MIFF artistic director Michelle Carey, “The Fairy is that rare case of a festival-friendly film that is honorably humanist and inventive yet unapologetically accessible and comical. That it is also whimsical and a little nostalgic makes it the perfect opening for the 60th MIFF.”
Other important events include Morgan Spurlock who will present the Australian premiere of his POM Wonderful Presents: the Greatest Movie Ever Sold, and master classes with Lisa Gerrard and French comedy writer-director Frances Veber.
In all 300 films will screen at the festival across a number of sidebars including Australian Showcase, Prime Time – a focus on works made for television by feature film directors, including the world premiere of ABCTV drama, The Slap, and a partnership with Festival Scope featuring 12 films from 12 countries in the European Union, from Greece to Germany, Slovenia to Spain. It will also include TeleScope will sketch a cinematic map of contemporary European film with highlights including Spain‘s Finnesterrae, and The Solitude of Prime Numbers.
Other sidebars include Accent on Asia, which brings the very best of Asian cinema to MIFF audiences including legendary director Takeshi Kitano‘s Outrage and Thailand‘s Sivaroj Kongsakul‘s feature film, Eternity and This Sporting Life among others.
he festival‘s ever-expanding, four-day film co-financing event MIFF 37?South Market, will again be held on the opening weekend with a record 100 selected Australian/NZ producers matched with national and international financing guests.
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.
