Entertainment · Film · 3 hrs ago
Milcho Manchevski’s ‘Sister Brother Manhole Cover’ premieres in Tokyo
Milcho Manchevski’s eighth feature premiered in Tokyo on Oct.
30 at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
The film, titled *Sister Brother Manhole Cover*, is a dark comedy and marks his return to the festival’s competition after *Kaymak* played there four years earlier.
It explores a sister and brother’s love, alongside motherhood and the divide between rich and poor.
Manchevski said Macedonian folk songs about sisterly love helped inspire the story, and that he wanted to examine the wealth gap through satire and a tender character study.
He sees the wealth gap as a central issue that could shape society in the years ahead.
He also criticized what he called “neo-social realism” in filmmaking, saying films can be judged by factors around them rather than by the work itself.
Milcho Manchevski’s eighth feature, Sister Brother Manhole Cover, had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival on Oct. 30.
The film is a dark comedy about sibling love, motherhood and the wealth gap.
Manchevski said he wanted to explore love between a sister and brother without making it erotic.
He also said he approached the wealth gap through satire and a tender character study.
The premiere marked Manchevski’s return to the festival, where Kaymak played in competition four years earlier.
- Who
- Director and writer Milcho Manchevski.
- What
- His film Sister Brother Manhole Cover had its world premiere.
- When
- Oct. 30; the source gives the year as 2026.
- Where
- The Tokyo International Film Festival in Tokyo.
- Why
- Manchevski said the film explores sibling love and the wealth gap through satire and character study.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Kaymak played in competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival, four years before Manchevski’s return with his new film.
Sister Brother Manhole Cover had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
- Director
- Milcho Manchevski
- Film
- Sister Brother Manhole Cover
- Premiere date
- Oct. 30, 2026
- Festival
- Tokyo International Film Festival
- Feature count
- Manchevski’s eighth feature
1 source
What people are saying
I wanted a story about a love that knows no boundaries but isn’t erotic – so, love between a sister and a brother.
But I also wanted to talk about what I think is going to be the central issue for society in the years to come: the wealth gap.
Approaching it as a satire and as a tender character study at the same time felt like it would give us enough of a foundation for something beautiful.