Thieves

Thieves

Year: 1996

Runtime: 117 min

Language: French

Director: André Téchiné

DramaRomanceCrime

Driven by a need for thrills, Ivan's involvement in car theft spirals into a dangerous situation with far-reaching consequences. His actions impact his brother Alex, who is a police officer dedicated to upholding the law, and Juliette, a captivating woman who finds herself drawn into their complicated lives. As their paths intertwine, a web of crime, forbidden desire, and escalating drama threatens to consume them all.

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Timeline & Setting – Thieves (1996)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Thieves (1996). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Rhône-Alpes, Lyon (La Duchère district), Marseille

A small town in the Rhône-Alpes region anchors the story's start, with a tight-knit community weighed down by hardship. The narrative shifts to Lyon's deprived La Duchère district, a dense urban environment where crime and tension simmer. It also tracks Juliette's attempt to vanish into a new life in Marseille, while a railway yard serves as the focal point for the heist that drives the plot.

🏙️ Urban 🏞️ Regional 🚂 Crime setting

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:25

Main Characters – Thieves (1996)

Meet the key characters of Thieves (1996), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Mireille

Justin's mother, a grieving widow whose tears at the wake reveal a fragile household. She embodies the emotional toll of a family haunted by loss and divided loyalties.

💔 Grief 👪 Family 🏠 Domestic

Victor

Justin's grandfather, a widower who carries the family history. He acts as a quiet catalyst, steering the uncovering of truth about Ivan's death.

🧓 Grandparent 🗝️ Secrets 👪 Family

Alex

Justin's uncle and a police officer who has rebelled against the family by choosing law and order. He is torn between duty and kinship as events unfold.

🕵️‍♂️ Law ⚖️ Duty 🌀 Family conflict

Ivan

Crime boss who runs a nightclub with a drag revue and finances the operation with a stolen-auto ring. He exerts power and invites disaster.

💎 Crime 🕶️ Power 🎰 Heist

Juliette

A conflicted woman drawn into the criminal world, involved with Alex and coerced into the heist. Emotionally torn, she seeks escape and control.

💃 Drama 🌀 Relational conflict 💔 Love

Marie

A philosophy professor who becomes a confidant to Juliette and Alex; she writes about Juliette, descending into isolation as events spiral.

📚 Academia 🧠 Insight 🌀 Obsession

Justin

The boy who unravels his family's secrets and inherits his elders’ wary gaze, while trying to understand his father's death.

👦 Youth 🧭 Innocence 🕯️ Truth

Jimmy

Ivan's ally and the head of the auto theft ring, whose ambitions complicate loyalties within the criminal network.

🔑 Heist 🕶️ Criminal network 🌀 Loyalty

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:25

Major Themes – Thieves (1996)

Explore the central themes of Thieves (1996), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👨‍👩‍👦 Family Ties

The film centers on a fractured family bound by blood and history. Grief over Ivan's death, rivalries between uncles and fathers, and the fragile ties to the next generation fuel every decision. Secrets and loyalties ripple through generations, shaping both the present danger and the characters' choices.

🎭 Crime & Morality

A world of crime and ambition tests personal ethics. Ivan's criminal empire undercuts appearances of success; Juliette's coerced involvement reveals how love and survival can warp into dependency. The characters constantly navigate right and wrong, with consequences spilling into ordinary life.

🔎 Pursuit & Secrets

Alex's investigation collides with Juliette's attempts to vanish, while Marie's research uncovers her own hidden truths. The search for Juliette becomes a broader hunt for truth about the family's past and the mechanism of violence holding them together. The pursuit binds strangers—family and lovers—in a fragile network of secrets.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:25

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Thieves Summary

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Thieves Summary

Thieves Timeline

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Thieves Timeline

More About Thieves

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