Overview

• Searchlight Pictures confirmed Rental Family as the American Express Gala presentation at the 69th BFI London Film Festival, which runs October 8–19 in London’s Southbank Centre.
• The Tokyo-set comedy-drama will have its UK premiere at Royal Festival Hall on October 16, with director and co-writer Hikari and star Brendan Fraser expected to attend.
• The film follows an American performer who joins a Japanese “rental family” agency, forging genuine bonds that blur the line between performance and reality.
• Hikari, known for 37 Seconds and the Emmy-winning series Beef, directed and co-wrote the project produced by Eddie Vaisman, Julie Lebedev and Shin Yamaguchi.
• After its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Searchlight Pictures will release Rental Family in UK cinemas in January 2026.