Title of film : Shoplifters
Director Name : KORE EDA HIROKAZU
Cast & crew :
Producer : Matsuzaki Kaoru, Yose Akihiko, Taguchi Hijiri
Editor : KORE EDA Hirokazu
Cast :
Synopsis : This small film is a thoughtful addition to his parables about happy and unhappy families (Nobody Knows, After the Storm), studded with memorable characters and believable performances that quietly lead the viewer to reflect on societal values. Who better than Kore-eda, a director who whispers instead of shouts, is able to capture contradictions and issues though such a subtle, unforced style of storytelling? Though the film's slow, measured pace is sometimes off-putting, this Wild Bunch release should steal some hearts beyond the director's loyal following, particularly with festival support. The story of the makeshift family that has collected around Osamu Shibata (a happy-go-lucky Lily Franky) begins on a cold winter night. Osamu and his young son, Shota (Jyo Kairi), have been out shoplifting at a grocery store in a residential area when they stumble across a 4-year-old girl freezing on a balcony. Osamu’s big heart goes out to the grave tyke – so will the audience's — and he brings her home for a hot meal. His wife, Nobuyo (Ando Sakura, 100 Yen Love), doesn’t want to get involved or add another mouth to feed to their poverty-stricken home, where they squeak by on Granny's pension, her modest salary and Osamu's occasional hardhat jobs. But when she sees burn marks on the little girl's arm, she changes her mind and lets her stay as an adopted member of the family. No one raises the question of kidnapping (though, of course, that’s what it is), and little Yuri (Sasaki Miyu) seems the happiest of all with the arrangement. She quickly bonds with Shota. Nobuyo begins to feel motherly toward her, and the wise grandma (Kiki Kilin) takes a shine to the girl as well. So does the sunny older sister, Aki (Matsuoka Mayu), who works behind a one-way mirror in a strip club. In fact, everyone is happy in the cramped, old-fashioned house surrounded by anonymous apartment buildings. Franky, playing the father with unselfconscious charm, is contagiously cheerful and carefree. But a subtle tension grows as the scenes unfold and the police become aware of Yuri's disappearance. Instead of giving her back, the family naively cuts her hair to disguise her and renames her Rin. The other big question mark is how the members of the family are really related to one another, other than through their lives of petty crime. Osamu finds it very important for Shota to call him Dad, but the otherwise docile boy can't bring himself to do it. Aki, who for some reason goes by the name of her never-seen sister Sayaka, is deeply attached to Granny but has a more formal relationship with her supposed parents, Osamu and Nobuyo. These and other mysteries are explosively revealed in the last half-hour of the film, which is one big revelation scene with multiple endings and emotional wrap-ups.
Director Bio : Born 1962 in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from Waseda University in 1987, Kore-eda joined TV Man Union where he directed several prize-winning documentary programs. In 2014, he launched his production company BUN-BUKU. In 1995, his directorial debut, Maborosi, based on the original novel by Miyamoto Teru, won the 52nd Venice International Film Festival’s Golden Osella. After Life (1998), distributed in over 30 countries, brought Kore-eda international acclaim. In 2001, Distance was selected in Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, and Yagira Yuya, the star of his fourth work Nobody Knows (2004) garnered much attention for becoming the youngest person ever to receive the Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actor Award. In 2006, Hana, a film centered on vengeance, became his first attempt at a period piece. In 2008, he presented the family drama Still Walking, which reflected his own personal experiences, and received high praise from around the world. In 2009, Air Doll made its world premiere in Un Certain Regard at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival and was widely-praised for marking a new frontier in its depiction of a sensual love fantasy. In 2011, I Wish won the Best Screenplay Award at the 59th San Sebastian International Film Festival. In 2012, he made his TV series directorial debut with Going Home. Like Father, Like Son (2013), winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, received the audience awards at San Sebastian, Vancouver, and Sao Paulo International Film Festivals and broke the box office records of his previous films in many territories. In 2015, Our Little Sister premiered In Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, and received four awards, including Best Film and Best Director at the Japan Academy Prize, as well as the Audience Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival. In 2016, After The Storm premiered in Un Certain Regard at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. In 2017, The Third Murder premiered In Competition at the 74th Venice International Film Festival and won six awards, including Best Film and Best Director at Japan Academy Prize. Kore-eda has also produced films for young Japanese directors. Kakuto, directed by Iseya Yusuke, premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2003. Wild Berries (2003) was written and directed by Nishikawa Miwa, whose second feature Sway premiered in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2006. Ending Note: Death of a Japanese Salesman (2011) by Sunada Mami moved audiences worldwide.
Filmography :
