Art&Cinema

10.03.2026

Rental Family: Japan and the Architecture of Feelings

We chose Rental Family, directed by the Japanese filmmaker Hirari, for four key reasons.
1. Tokyo: vast yet intimate
Through the film, we explore Tokyo by entering its homes, restaurants, and private spaces.
2. The delicate beauty of small things
Among these moments is a hanger decorated with colorful, transparent jellyfish crafted from plastic bottles by a beautiful little girl.
3. Relationships and distance
The film reflects how human connections are shaped by the physical and emotional distance between people. The space that separates us often defines who we become in the eyes of others.
4. Pure aesthetics and visual storytelling
Rental Family is a theatre of life. Takurô Ishizaka’s cinematography first captures emotional coldness through cool, blue tones, then gradually warms up as the characters transform. Every frame feels like a painting, and together with the soundtrack, it creates a film within the film. In the end, what stays with the viewer are houses, tree roots, small backpacks, intimate interiors—images that collectively shape the identity of the characters.
This film resonates with us because every object, color, and shape we bring into our homes marks us and speaks about who we are to others.