Shoplifters, the twelfth feature film by Japanese master director Hirokazu Kore-eda, won the coveted Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2018, confirming Kore-eda’s status as one of the best contemporary filmmakers. With a refined blend of sadness, tenderness and gentle humour, Shoplifters paints a portrait of a family teetering just above the poverty line, surviving by stealing and protecting each other, without a safety net from society.  

With subtle observations and authentic characters, the film manages to build a warm connection with the viewer, while slowly raising doubts about the true nature of their relationships. With a masterful balance between melancholy and hope, and a plot that unexpectedly shifts tone to a thrilling melodrama, Shoplifters is a moving and nuanced drama that lingers long after viewing – a film that is both socially conscious and universally human.