'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF/8QAIRAAAgEEAQUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIRAAMEIRIFBgcVMZH/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACA//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABIf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AlseSupevyMe47XE5LAYaSBEDfzQrIPc2e55sVDNsgARP5SlB0oof/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After his Oscar-winning turn in The Whale, Brendan Fraser will headline Rental Family, another heartbreaking drama that might put him back in the awards race. The feature film, co-written and directed by Hikari, is all set for its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, which will take place in September.
After the Canadian festival, the film will be screened at the 69th BFI London Film Festival, where it will have its UK premiere. It will star Fraser as a struggling actor, finding a surprising gig during his time in Japan. The plot synopsis reads,
"Set against modern-day Tokyo, the film follows an American actor who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese "rental family" agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients’ worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality."
It further reads,
"Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection."
What else do we know about Rental Family?
The drama film from Sight Unseen Productions, comes from Japanese filmmaker Hikari. She most recently directed three episodes of the Netflix series, Beef, alongside the Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier. Her other TV credits include the HBO Max series Tokyo Voice, where she served as one of the directors.
Hikari's directorial feature debut, 37 Seconds, was also screened at TIFF after its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. It earned her two awards at the Berlinale: a Panorama Audience Award and a C.I.C.A.E. award.
Her latest film is a Japanese-American co-production that centres around an American actor trying to find work in Japan. The trailer suggests that it will capture the cultural differences along with their nuances, to portray the growing need for human connection across the globe. With regards to this project, the BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson said,
"Following the acclaimed 37 Seconds and the subversive, roller coaster ride of Beef, we are excited to bring writer-director Hikari’s latest comedy-drama Rental Family to the BFI London Film Festival as our American Express Gala. Brendan Fraser is set to steal movie fans’ hearts once more with his stunning central performance in a film that explores the complexity of human relations with huge generosity and wit.”
Director Hikari also shared a note of gratitude while addressing what her film hopes to reveal.
“I feel so humbled and honored to return to the 2025 BFI London Film Festival with my second feature, Rental Family, and with a gala presentation!. While it’s inspired by a real, and sometimes unusual, business in Japan, it’s ultimately about people longing for connection and discovering the meaning of true friendship in modern Tokyo. I hope Rental Family offers a bit of escapism to Japan and a few laughs!”
Apart from Fraser, the cast of this slice-of-life drama also includes Mari Yamamoto, Takehiro Hira, Akira Emoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, and more.
After the festival run, the film is scheduled to be theatrically released in the US on November 21 by Searchlight Pictures.
Trending
Keep reading SoapCentral for more information.
Love movies? Try our Box Office Game and Movie Grid Game to test your film knowledge and have some fun!
Reply
