International
Nicholas Cage to receive ‘Legend Award’ at 11th Annual Ischia Global Film and Music Festival
NEW DELHI: Academy Award-winner and renowned actor Nicolas Cage will receive a 2013 "Ischia Legend Award" at the Ischia Global Film & Music Festival on 19 July.
A special screening of his latest motion picture, Emmett/Furla Films‘ The Frozen Ground, will take place that night during a gala evening at the Regina Isabella Hotel on Ischia‘s Lacco Ameno bay. Co-star Vanessa Hudgens and producers 50 Cent and Randall Emmett will join the Hollywood superstar and the director at the event, according to Festival founder and producer Pascal Vicedomini.
The annual festival will be held from 14 to 21 July on the picturesque isle that is located off the coast of Naples. It is presented under the auspices of the Ischia International Arts Academy with the support of BNL-Group, BNP PARIBAS, and 3 Italy along with the sponsorship of the Italian Culture Ministry and the Campania Region.
Cage, nephew of filmmaker Francis Ford and of actress Talia Shire, has appeared in more than 60 films and is one of the most celebrated actors in the world. In 1996 he won the Best Actor Oscar and Golden Globe for Mike Figgis‘ Leaving Las Vegas and in 2002 he was nominated by the Academy for Spike Jonze‘s Adaptation. Cage has worked with the greatest contemporary masters from Alan Parker (Birdy) to David Lynch (Wild at Heart), from Martin Scorsese (Bringing Out the Dead) to Brian De Palma‘s (Snake Eyes), from Ridley Scott (Matchstick Men) to Werner Herzog (The Bad Lieutenant) and Joel Schumacher (Trespass).
His vast filmography also includes Raising Arizona, The Rock, Face/Off, Con Air, Gone in 60 Seconds, National Treasure, Lord of War, Ghost Rider, Kick-Ass, and The Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. In 2013, he voiced the character of Crug in the animated film The Croods. His next film will be David Gordon Green‘s Joe.
"Nicolas Cage has been praised for his daring performances and fearless choice of roles," said Vicedomini. "He is truly one of the great male movie stars and we welcome him with open arms to our festival and to the island of Ischia." Vicedomini also thanked the producers of The Frozen Ground for allowing the Ischia Global Fest to screen the film.
Directed by Scott Walker, it is a thriller based on the life of serial killer Robert Hansen – played by John Cusack – a seemingly quiet family man who in the ‘80s terrorized Alaska by abducting, torturing and killing 24 women. Cage plays the role of the Sheriff while Hudgens plays a stripper trying to lure the assassin. The film also stars rapper 50 Cent.
Noted film producer and executive Arnon Milchan and actor Samuel L. Jackson have already been announced as 2013 Ischia Legend Award recipients. Prior recipients include Oliver Stone, Vanessa Redgrave, Sir Ben Kingsley, Hilary Swank and music icons Sting, Burt Bacharach, Harry Belafonte and producer/executive Clive Davis.
Joining Vicedomini in overseeing this year‘s Ischia Global Film & Music Fest are President Michele Placido, Honorary Presidents Trudie Styler and Tony Renis, and an Executive Board comprised of producers Mark Canton, Marina Cicogna, Rick Nicita, Paula Wagner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, multi Oscar-winning production designers Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo, president of Cinecitt? Studios Luigi Abete, Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis and Italian movie icons Franco Nero, Lina Wertmuller and Enrico Lucherini.
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.
