Rental Family Starring Brendan Fraser Headline Gala At BFI London Film Festival

The film "Rental Family," starring Brendan Fraser and directed by Hikari, has been announced as the American Express Gala presentation at the 69th BFI London Film Festival, scheduled from October 8 to 19. The movie, set in contemporary Tokyo, follows an American actor who accepts a job at a Japanese "rental family" agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers and exploring themes of human connection and the blurred lines between performance and reality. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and is set for a U.S. release on November 21, followed by a U.K. release in January 2026. Fraser and Hikari are expected to attend the gala screening at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on October 16. The film is produced by Eddie Vaisman, Julie Lebedev, Hikari, and Shin Yamaguchi, and has been praised for Fraser's compelling performance and its insightful exploration of complex human relationships. Festival director Kristy Matheson highlighted the film's generosity and wit, noting it follows Hikari's acclaimed works "37 Seconds" and "Beef."