When a Japanese director wins the Palme d¡¯Or ¡ª the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival, the film world¡¯s equivalent of soccer¡¯s World Cup ¡ª the response of the local media is to celebrate: Our side won.
Making the victory sweeter for Hirokazu Kore-eda in his sixth Cannes appearance, with the family drama ¡°Shoplifters,¡± was his film¡¯s underdog status: Despite ranking high in the critics¡¯ poll of Cannes competition films conducted by Screen International magazine, ¡°Shoplifters¡± was largely ignored in speculation about the probable Palme victor (Japanese media, of course, excepted).
¡°We were completely bowled over by ¡®Shoplifters.¡¯ How intermeshed the performances were with the directorial vision,¡± jury president Cate Blanchett told the press in explaining the jury¡¯s decision. ¡°It was one of the quietest, loveliest and most emotionally enduring films in the competition,¡± she added.
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