Feature film ‘Rental Family’, starring Brendan Fraser, to have gala screening at BFI London Film Festival 2025
Hikari returns to the BFI London Film Festival as American Express Gala, screened at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on 16 October.
Credits: Courtesy of James Lisle/Searchlight Pictures
Screenwriter and director Hikari returns to the BFI London Film Festival with her second feature film, Rental Family, as an American Express Gala, presented at the Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre, with screenings across the UK. The Searchlight Pictures feature is a dramatic comedy starring Brendan Fraser. Directed and co-written by Hikari, Rental Family also stars Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman and Akira Emoto.
The story takes place in Tokyo and follows an American actor (Brendan Fraser) who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual job: working for a Japanese ‘rental family’ agency, playing strange roles. As he delves into the world of his clients, 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.
Credits: Courtesy of James Lisle/Searchlight Pictures
Hikari, from the acclaimed series Beef and 37 Seconds, is responsible for directing and co-writing the screenplay for ‘Rental Family’ alongside Stephen Blahut. The director said she was honoured to return to the BFI London Film Festival 2025 with ‘Rental Family’, inspired by a real business in Japan, but which deals with connection and friendship in modern Tokyo. “I hope ‘Rental Family’ offers a little escapism to Japan and some laughs!”.
Kristy Matheson, director of the BFI, highlighted the film's generosity and humour in exploring the complexity of human relationships and praised Brendan Fraser's performance. “Brendan Fraser is set to win the hearts of film lovers once again with his impressive central performance in a film that explores the complexity of human relationships with enormous generosity and intelligence”.
Produced by Eddie Vaisman, Julie Lebedev (Sight Unseen), Hikari and Shin Yamaguchi, the presentation of ‘Rental Family’ will take place on 16 October at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall, with Fraser and director Hikari confirmed to attend. ‘Rental Family’ will be released in the United Kingdom in January 2026.
69º BFI London Film Festival
The 69th BFI London Film Festival, in partnership with American Express, will take place from Wednesday 8 October to Sunday 19 October 2025. The full festival programme will be revealed on Wednesday 3 September 2025, with tickets going on sale from 16 September (BFI members can book in advance).
The Festival will take place at the following locations:
- The Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre returns as the gala venue;
- BFI Southbank is home to the competition programme, Screen Talks and LFF for Free events;
- The UK's largest screen, BFI IMAX, will once again host LFF screenings;
- Expanded LFF works will be presented at Marie R ambert Studio, Rambert, BFI IMAX and BFI Southbank;
- Five partner cinemas in London's West End include Curzon Mayfair, Curzon Soho, Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), Prince Charles Cinema and Vue West End;
- Festival venues across the UK include Broadway Cinema in Nottingham, Chapter in Cardiff, Glasgow Film Theatre, HOME in Manchester, MAC in Birmingham, Queen's Film Theatre in Belfast, Showroom Cinema in Sheffield, Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle, National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, Filmhouse in Edinburgh and Watershed in Bristol;
- Press and industry screenings take place at Picturehouse Central.
In addition to screenings across the UK at Festival venues, audiences will also be able to explore past and present LFF programmes with a special collection of films on the BFI Player.
