Brendan Fraser and Director HIKARI to Attend UK Premiere of “Rental Family” at the BFI Film Festival

The UK premiere will take place during the 69th BFI London Film Festival on Thursday, October 16th.

The UK premiere of Searchlight Pictures’ Rental Family is set to take place at the 69th BFI London Film Festival in October.

What’s Happening:

  • Set against modern-day Tokyo, Rental Family follows an American actor (Brendan Fraser) 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. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.
  • The UK premiere of the new Searchlight Pictures film will take place during the American Express Gala at the 69th BFI London Film Festival, which takes place October 8th-19th, 2025.
  • The screening of Rental Family will be held at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on Thursday, October 16th, with director HIKARI and star Brendan Fraser expected to attend.
  • Prior to that, the film will have its main premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, taking place September 4th–14th, 2025.
  • In addition to Fraser, Rental Family also stars Takehiro Hira from FX’s Shōgun and Mari Yamamoto from Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
  • Rental Family will be released in theaters on Friday, November 21st, 2025.

What They’re Saying:

  • HIKARI, “Rental Family" director: “I feel so humbled and honoured 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!"
  • Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival Director: “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."

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