Shoplifters

On the fringes of Tokyo, a poor but tightly knit family survives by shoplifting and odd jobs. Osamu Shibata and his partner Nobuyo lead a small crew that keeps going through careful routines and quiet teamwork. Their life changes when they take in Yuri, a neglected girl found on the doorstep, and bring her into their cramped, makeshift home. As affection grows, the tenuous balance of their ordinary world strains under the weight of new loyalties and small secrets. The arrival of Yuri exposes gaps in the family's story and forces each member to reckon with what love, belonging, and true kinship can mean in their corner of society together now for many viewers.

Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Shoplifters arrived in 2018 as a Cannes standout and later reached international audiences through a wide theatrical release. The drama rests on an original screenplay by Kore-eda, with a quiet, observational style and deeply lived-in performances.

It won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2018, sharing its acclaim with the festival's top prize. It was Japan's submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, highlighting its international recognition and critical esteem. Its global festival presence underscored Kore-eda's reputation for empathetic storytelling.

Whispered as a social realist drama, the film sparked conversations about poverty, family, and what makes a home. Kore-eda's restrained, observant lens invited empathy for flawed characters, influencing discussions of class in contemporary Japanese cinema and beyond. Its Cannes reception amplified these themes for international audiences and festivalgoers alike.

Critics praised its nuanced performances, patient pacing, and moral ambiguity. The film centers on the idea that family is a social bond built through care and choice rather than blood, while examining costs of economic hardship and kindness people extend to each other, resonating with debates about safety nets for all.