expediente · mfc-000358our own catalogue record · per-fact provenance on fileQ124947229
Synopsis
An American actor in Tokyo struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese 'rental family' agency, 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.
Awards and festivals
2025Adelaide Film Festival · Special Presentationsselected
2025Chicago International Film Festival · Tributes and Awards / Centerpiece screeningSpotlight Award — HIKARI
2025Middleburg Film FestivalNarrative Feature Audience Award — Rental Family
2025National Board of ReviewTop 10 Films — Rental Family
2025Rome Film Fest · Grand Publicselected
2025Stockholm International Film Festival · Iconsselected
2025Tokyo International Film Festival · Gala Selectionselected
2025Toronto International Film Festival · Special Presentations · world premiereselected
2025Virginia Film FestivalBreakthrough Director Award — HIKARI
Places
Set in Tokyo
Filmed at Tokyo — Director Hikari discusses filming in Tokyo and production constraints in Japan's capital.
Amakusa, Kumamoto — Scene of Kikuo returning to the childhood landscape/tree; director identifies the shoot as Amakusa, Kumamoto, on Kyushu.
