AFIFest DAY 2 and Rental Family Panel

Host Hannah Satterlee continues our Below the Line coverage of AFI Fest 2025 with Day 2 highlights, including a deeply emotional screening of Rental Family , written, produced, and directed by Hikari, the acclaimed filmmaker behind BEEF. After the premiere, we sat front row for an unforgettable Q&A with:

🎬 Hikari – Writer / Producer / Director
🎭 Brendan Fraser
🎭 Mari Yamamoto - @themariyamamoto

🗣️ Moderator David Canfield – The Hollywood Reporter

THIS VIDEO MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
The team opens up about the real “rental family” industry in Japan, the emotional roots behind the script, and how the film explores loneliness, connection, and the desire to be seen. Brendan Fraser shares candid stories about building his character, finding vulnerability, and why this role felt like a “dream job.” Hikari also dives into her research, cultural influences, and the personal experiences that shaped the film’s most moving moments.

Also in this episode:
Hannah’s first impressions of Rental Family, thoughts on Brendan Fraser’s performance, the film’s themes of found connection, and our own Below the Line Letterboxd-style rating.

📽️ Intimate stories. Honest reactions. One of the festival’s most heartfelt screenings — all here, from Scene by Scene at AFI Fest.

👉 Subscribe for more festival coverage, interviews, and behind-the-scenes storytelling with filmmakers from around the world.

CHAPTERS:
34:01 – Why You Should Watch Rental Family
34:07 – Sean’s Rating (4 Stars!)
34:13 – Brendan Fraser Wears His Heart on His Sleeve
34:25 – Comparing Bugonia & Rental Family
34:32 – Directors Who Know Their Actors’ Strengths
34:36 – Casting Fraser After The Whale
34:45 – Brendan Fraser Wins the Oscar
34:52 – The Heart of Fraser’s Characters
35:07 – Empathy, Guilt & Loneliness in His Roles
35:13 – How Fraser Reads in Real Life
35:19 – “More Tomorrow” – Hannah Calls In Sick for You

Hannah Satterlee
Instagram: @hannahjsatterlee
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14849548/

Sean Williams – Director / Editor
Instagram: @Filmfreak86

Produced by Annie Valenti

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