“Shoplifters”, a film by Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda, will open the 5th Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) this year.

“Shoplifters”, which won the Palme d'Or at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival, is the official submission of Japan for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category of the 91st Academy Awards in 2019.

Produced in 2017, the film tells the story of a family, where love guides its small-time-crook members through difficulties. It was premiered in Japan in June 2018 and raked in 37.8 million USD, becoming one of the highest-grossing films in the market this year. 

Meanwhile, the HANIFF will be rounded off with “A Fantastic Woman”, a film by Chilean director Sebastián Lelio. The film won the 2018 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year.

The HANIFF, themed “Cinema: Integration and Sustainable Development, is expected to screen more than 500 movies from nearly 50 countries and territories during its course slated for October 27-31. 

The screenings will take place at the National Cinema Centre, the Kim Dong movie theatre, the CGV Vincom Centre cinema, and the BHD Star Vincom cinema.

A wide range of awards will be presented at the end of the event, including those for best film, director, and actor/actress. 

On the sidelines, a HANIFF script-writing camp, film project market, free screenings, and film discussions will be arranged. Seminars to share the experiences of filmmakers from Poland and Iran will help local artists, managers, and the public understand more about world cinema. 

The opening and closing ceremonies of the event will be broadcast live on VTV2 and VTV1 channels of the Vietnam Television on October 27 and 31, respectively. –VNA