International
Tibetan director gets Dragon and Tigers Award at Vancouver
NEW DELHI: The $10,000 Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema went to Tibetan director Sonthar Gyal of China for The Sun-Beaten Path at the 30th Vancouver International Film Festival.
This award is presented to the director of a creative and innovative film from East Asia who has not yet won significant international recognition.
Anne Émond of Quebec has won the Shaw Media Award for Best Canadian Feature Film this year for Nuit #1 along with the $20,000 cash prize.
The three-member jury selected this film for its “unflinching intimacy” and atmosphere of “containment with candour and lucidity.”
The 16-day Festival ended earlier this week.
The Canadian Images jury comprised Beth Barrett (Programme Manager of the Seattle International Film Festival); Dana Claxton (photographer, filmmaker and educator); and Greg Hamilton (filmmaker and Chinlone, the national sport of Myanmar, expert).
The Honourable Mention for Canadian Feature Film went to Wetlands, directed by Guy Édoin (Quebec)
The Canadian Images jury, represented by Dana Claxton, awarded a $2,000 cash award from an anonymous donor to Andrew Cividino of Ontario for We Ate the Children Last. The jury selected this film “for its creation of an apocalyptic, yet fully believable world.”
The Rogers People‘s Choice Award went to A Separation directed by Asghar Farhadi.
All of the festival‘s 375 films – dramas and nonfiction, short, mid and feature length – were eligible for this award, chosen by festival-goers chose the most popular film by rating every film they saw on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).
The VIFF Most Popular Nonfiction Film Award went to ‘Sing Your Song’ directed by Susanne Rostock. The VIFF Most Popular Canadian Film Award was won by ‘Starbuck’, directed by Ken Scott.
The National Film Board Most Popular Canadian Documentary Award went to ‘Peace Out’ directed by Charles Wilkinson with a cash prize of $2,500 in NFB technical services toward their next film from the Filmmaker Assistance Programme.
VIFF Environmental Film Audience Award was won by ‘People of a Feather’ directed by Joel Heath.
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.
