The Brendan Fraser comedy, Rental Family, will be the American Express Gala screening at this year’s London Film Festival.
The film will screen at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on Thursday 16 October, with director Hikari and star Brendan Fraser expected to attend.
Directed and co-written by Hikari (Beef), the film stars Fraser alongside Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, and Akira Emoto. Set in modern-day Tokyo, the film follows an American actor (Fraser) who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese “rental family” agency, where he plays 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. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.
Rental Family is produced by Eddie Vaisman, Julie Lebedev (Sight Unseen), Hikari, and Shin Yamaguchi. Searchlight will release the film in UK cinemas in January 2026.
“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,” Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival Director, said in a statement.
“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.”
The full LFF programme will be announced on September 3rd.
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