Synopsis

Set in modern-day Tokyo, Rental Family follows an American actor (Brendan Fraser) who 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. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.

Synopsis

Laugh away the woes of the world with this eclectic collection of comedies. From the absurd anxieties of wannabe filmmakers to the ridiculous delusions of the recently dumped, these stories are insightful, unexpected, and delightfully irreverent.

In Nervous Energy, two fiercely ambitious aspiring filmmakers make a pact to break up with their boyfriends to free them up for the next phase of their careers. In 1:10, a schoolyard tussle between two friends escalates when the kids’ self-righteous and macho fathers get involved. Heartsick follows Jess who, spiraling from a recent breakup, writes a detailed email to her ex about how well she is doing, with a few embellishments here and there. When Jamie finds a mysterious trombone case one night—the contents of which might change his life forever—he convenes an emergency meeting with his friends in Moonluck Wonton. In Duck Duck Goose, recently divorced Juju is pressured by her mother to make an impression as an eligible wife while attending a funeral. A couple is put to the test, literally, when they agree to participate in a joint therapy session that will be observed by an international panel of psychology experts in Exam.

Synopsis

Two fiercely ambitious aspiring filmmakers make a pact to break up with their boyfriends to free them up for the next phase of their careers. This hilarious take on the romanticizing of prestigious filmmakers and the desperate passion of aspiring artists is explosive, rambunctious, and delightfully surprising.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 5: Comedy.

Synopsis

Recently divorced, Rie finds a new lease on life when she remarries the loving—if enigmatic—Daisuke. When Daisuke dies tragically, Rie begins to realize that she hardly knew the man she married. With the help of attorney Kido, she embarks on a sprawling investigation to uncover the true identity of the man she loved in this mesmerizing, noir-inflected mystery.

Synopsis

Misako writes and records film audio descriptions for vision-impaired audiences, passionately translating cinematic experiences through verbal description. While soliciting feedback from a focus group panel, she meets Masaya, a renowned photographer who is slowly losing his eyesight. The two form an unlikely connection as she draws inspiration from his photographs and his way of seeing the world.