Japan has selected Hirokazu Kore-edas family drama and Cannes Palme dOr winner Shoplifters as its submission for this years Best Foreign Language Film Oscar category. The story of a family of small-time crooks who take in a child they find on the streets has been a box office winner at home, becoming the acclaimed directors biggest title at local turnstiles having grossed over $39M.
The film has also scored in China where it recently became the highest grossing live-action Japanese movie ever in the market at $13.5M.
Kore-eda previously rapped his home country with 2004s Nobody Knows which did not make the shortlist. Japan bypassed his 2013 Cannes Jury Prize winner Like Father, Like Son which many believed should have been that years submission. Shoplifters recent run has not been without controversy following speculation that Japans prime minister Shinzo Abe isnt a fan and the fact Kore-eda turned down an invitation to celebrate the film at the culture ministry.
The country last won the FL Oscar with 2008s Departures, and has scored 11 further nominations as well as taking three honorary prizes in the 1950s.
Shoplifters is set for a November 23 domestic release via Magnolia, after it plays the New York Film Festival. International sales are handled jointly by Gaga and Wild Bunch.
Below is the updated running list of this years submissions
2019 Foreign Language Film Oscar Submissions
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- Belarus – Crystal Swan – Darya Zhuk
- Belgium – Girl – Lukas Dhont
- Estonia – Take It Or Leave It – Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo
- Japan – Shoplifters – Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Romania – I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians – Radu Jude
- Slovakia – The Interpreter – Martin Sulik
- Switzerland – Eldorado – Markus Imhoof
- Turkey – The Wild Pear Tree – Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- UK – I Am Not A Witch – Rungano Nyoni
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