International
Steven Spielberg heads Cannes Fest competition jury
MUMBAI: The 66th Cannes Film Festival has announced that filmmaker Steven Spielberg will head its competition jury.
Spielberg said, “My admiration for the steadfast mission of the Festival to champion the international language of movies is second to none. The most prestigious of its kind, the festival has always established the motion picture as a cross cultural and generational medium.”
Festival de Cannes president Gilles Jacob said, “As they say across the Atlantic,” said “Steven Spielberg is a Cannes ‘regular‘: Sugarland Express, Color Purple. But it was with E.T. that I screened as a world premiere in ‘82 that ties were made of the type you never forget. Ever since, I‘ve often asked Steven to be Jury President, but he‘s always been shooting a film. So when this year I was told E.T., phone home, I understood and immediately replied: “At last!”
Spielberg, born in Ohio in 1946, has been a film enthusiast from a very young age. The first film he made was Sugarland Express that was selected for the Festival de Cannes in 1974 and won the best screenplay award.
In 1993, Steven Spielberg‘s Jurassic Park beat all records for box-office takings in the US. Famous for his commercial successes, his films also The Color Purple (1986), Empire Of The Sun(1987), Schindler‘s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Minority Report (2002), Catch Me If You Can (2002), War Of The Worlds (2005), The Adventure Of Tintin: Secret Of The Unicorn (2011) and his latest Lincoln.
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.
