SHOPLIFTERS: 2018 PALME d’OR WINNER. SOON IN CINEMAS. GIVEAWAY.

Conflicting emotions and family ties lie at the heart of an exquisite drama by Hirokazu Kore-eda (Nobody Knows). SHOPLIFTERS was the winner of the  Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

Osamu is the head of an impoverished family of thieves and fraudsters. Three generations are cramped into a dilapidated house stuck between anonymous apartment blocks. His wife, Naboyo, works in a laundry and steals whatever she can from clothes’ pockets. Young son Shota accompanies dad on shoplifting expeditions. Teenage daughter Aki works behind a mirror in a sleazy peep-show joint. Grandma is addicted to pachinko gambling machies.

After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces.  Then there’s Yuri. She’s a neglected and frightened 4-year-old girl rescued from the street and informally adopted by the family. Everyone’s happy, especially Yuri, but she’s still a missing person and someone else’s daughter. When authorities eventually come calling Yuri’s given a disguise and a new name, but this is far from the end of the matter.

Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them…

Kore-eda’s masterful film highlights sharp social and economic divisions in contemporary Japan while asking the question of what makes a family.

Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda,  SHOPLIFTERS stars Lily Franky,  Ando Sakura, Matsuoka May and Kiki Kilin.

SHOPLIFTERS, [Japanese Official Site] distributed by Rialto [Facebook] opens  in Australian Cinemas November 15.  You can view the official trailer with English subtitles here.

With thanks to Rialto Distribution, Sydney Arts Guide has ten in-season double pass giveaways to participating cinemas.

To be in the running to win a double pass , email (editorialstaff.sydneyartsguide@gmail.com) with SHOPLIFTERS  as the subject, along with your full name AND your mailing address.

Competition closes COB Monday November 12, 2018 when the winner will be drawn. Only the winner will be notified and the passes will be posted by SAG on receipt from the promoter.

One comment

  1. This competition has now been drawn and the winners notified. Congratulations to all the winners.

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