VANCOUVER, Dec. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc. (TSXV:TBRD) ("Thunderbird" or the "Company"), a global multiplatform entertainment company with offices in Los Angeles, London, Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto, wishes to congratulate Hirokazu Kore-eda's film  Shoplifters, for the continued critical acclaim, box office success and awards it has been receiving. Most recently, Shoplifters was announced as a nominee in the Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language category for the 76^th Annual Golden Globe Awards, which will be held January 6, 2019.

Shoplifters is currently being distributed by Thunderbird's releasing division across the United Kingdom and Ireland. After three weeks, the film has demonstrated strong box office success in the UK and Ireland, with a cumulative gross of £405K (CDN$684K). In November, Shoplifters was named Best Film at the Asia 2018 Pacific Screen Awards, and following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, it won the coveted Palme d'Or.

"Thunderbird is honoured to distribute Shoplifters in the UK and Ireland, not only because of the well-deserved recognitions it has been receiving around the world, but because it is a compelling film that has connected with audiences and critics alike," says Edward Fletcher, Managing Director, Thunderbird Releasing. "On behalf of everyone at Thunderbird Entertainment, I'd like to congratulate director Hirokazu Kore-eda and all those involved in creating the masterpiece that is Shoplifters along with our friends at international sales agent Wild Bunch."

In addition to winning multiple awards, positive reviews continue to roll in from critics. Manohla Dargis from the New York Times declares that "Kore-eda has the sensitive, calibrated touch of a master safecracker," Peter Travers from Rolling Stone calls the film an "absolute stunner," and Chloe Schama from Vogue concludes that Shoplifters is "an astonishing, heartbreaking film that offers no easy answers to the questions that it raises."

Reviews from abroad are on a similar caliber with Lewis Knight from the Daily Mirror describing the film as "a modern Dickensian masterpiece worthy of its Palme d'Or award."

About Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc.
Thunderbird Entertainment Group is a Vancouver-based global multiplatform entertainment company with offices in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto, Ottawa and London. Thunderbird creates award-winning scripted, unscripted and animated programming for the world's leading digital platforms, as well as Canadian and International broadcasters. Thunderbird's vision is to produce high quality, socially responsible content that makes the world a better place.  The Company develops, produces and distributes animated, factual and scripted content through its various divisions, including Atomic Cartoons, Great Pacific Television, Thunderbird Productions and Thunderbird Releasing Limited.

Thunderbird Social Media Links
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Twitter: @tbirdent
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Website:  www.thunderbird.tv

The TSX-V has in no way passed upon the merits of the Arrangement and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility of the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's objectives, goals or future plans and the business and operations of the Company, and the likelihood of completion of upcoming releases. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic and social uncertainties; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; those additional risks set out in the Company's Filing Statement and other public documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; and other matters discussed in this news release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except where required by law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Thunderbird Entertainment Inc.

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