Milcho Manchevski film Tokyo Film Festival premiere

Director Milcho Manchevski’s new film, described as a satirical comedy or a blend of comedy and drama, has been selected for the main A-category competition at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival. The film, titled ‘Sister, Brother and the Shaft’ or ‘Sister Brother Manhole Cover’, is a co-production involving North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Italy, and England.

The story follows siblings Malina and Viktor living on the margins of post-Communist Macedonian society, surviving by stealing bronze sculptures and manhole covers to sell as scrap metal. The narrative intensifies when a theft results in a serious injury to Viktor, leading the pair into the Macedonian underworld.

The premiere is scheduled for October 30, with the director and cast expected to attend the festival opening on October 26. This project marks Manchevski’s ninth feature film and follows a period where the filmmaker was reportedly barred from producing films in his home country after reporting corruption within the Macedonian Film Agency.