This screening will be shown with the addition of captions throughout the film. A hearing loop is also available in the Cinema.

A down-and-out actor living in Tokyo is hired as a token American guy for a Japanese rental-family company. This leads him on an unexpected journey of self-discovery through the roles he plays in other people’s lives.

Rental Family centres on Phillip, an unemployed American actor who has drifted into a quiet, isolated life in Tokyo after a brief advertising job.

With little connection to home and no clear direction, he finds unexpected work with a company that provides hired family members and stand-in relationships for people seeking emotional support.

Phillip begins taking on roles that blur professional performance and personal feeling, posing as a long-absent father for a young girl whose mother needs a convincing family presence, and later acting as a surrogate son for an ageing performer facing loneliness.

As Phillip navigates these constructed relationships, the film explores themes of identity, emotional labour and the human need for connection, questioning where performance ends and genuine attachment begins.

‘this is a beautiful and contemplative film, with lovely messaging and a couple of sly twists.’ RogerEbert ★★★⯪