[title]
Brendan Fraser’s career renaissance has already taken in a Oscar win for his performance in The Whale and now his new movie is getting a big gala at this year’s BFI London Film Festival.
Rental Family, which stars Fraser as a struggling American actor living in modern-day Tokyo, will be the LFF’s American Express gala on Thursday, October 16.
Directed by Hikari, the Japanese filmmaker behind Netflix drama 37 Seconds, Rental Family has Fraser’s down-and-out thesp finding work with a Japanese rental family company, 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,’ runs the festival’s synopsis. ‘Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.’
‘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,’ says Hikari.
Co-starring with Fraser are Shōgun’s Takehiro Hira, as well as Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman and Akira Emoto.
The gala takes place at London’s Royal Festival Hall, with simultaneous screenings at cinemas across the UK.
The 69th BFI London Film Festival runs from October 8-19. Tickets will be on sale to the general public from September 16 via the official LFF site.
Rental Family is in UK cinemas in January 2026.
The London Film Festival’s opening film has been announced – and it’s going to be murder.
Everything you need to know about the 2025 London Film Festival.