Yoshii (Masaki Suda) buys goods cheaply and sells them online at a higher price. When his operation starts turning a profit, he decides to quit his factory job in Tokyo and move into a house he purchased in a small town with his girlfriend Akiko (Kotone Furukawa). To help with the business, he hires a local young man named Sano (Daiken Okudaira).

However, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to the consequences of your actions when hiding behind a screen name, and Yoshii’s increasingly ruthless reselling earns him plenty of enemies. One unsettling incident follows another, and eventually, those holding a grudge against Yoshii begin to join forces through an anonymous online forum. What unfolds is a violent manhunt, where both identities and loyalties of the hunters are uncertain.

Cloud is a timely thriller from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, in which online talk leads to acts of violence in the real world. The film had its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival and has since screened at festivals including Toronto, Busan, and Mumbai. Cloud was also Japan’s official submission for the 2024 Oscars.

An advance screening of Cloud took place at the Midnight Sun Film Festival in Sodankylä on Friday, June 13.

Finnish Film Foundation Import Support, 2025.

***

Kiyoshi Kurosawa (b. 1955) is one of Japan’s most internationally renowned film directors.

Kurosawa is known both as a director of suspense and as a chronicler of difficult family and romantic relationships. He works with many genres and their combinations. Cloud originated from his desire to make an action film—though, in his characteristic style, a sense of oppressive atmosphere is strongly present.

Kurosawa’s most internationally recognized film is undoubtedly the psychological horror classic Cure (1997), which also marked the beginning of his long-term collaboration with actor Kōji Yakusho. The family drama Tokyo Sonata (2008), which won an award at Cannes, was broadcast in Finland on YLE Teema in 2011. The story of a deceased husband’s return, Journey to the Shore (2014), was shown at the Helsinki Cine Aasia fim festival, while the serial killer thriller Creepy (2016) screened at the Love & Anarchy (HIFF) film festival. The historical spy drama Wife of a Spy (2020) won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival.

Cloud is the first Kiyoshi Kurosawa film to be released theatrically in Finland.

Information and bookings:
Petteri Uusitalo
petteri.uusitalo@tabicine.fi

The film title is “Vuokraperheet” in Finnish.

Kenta Mikami (Shun Shioya) runs a unique business offering “rental” family members, relatives, and even friends to those in need. From delivering heartfelt congratulations at weddings to offering apologies on behalf of cheaters, Mikami steps into the roles of father, son, or even lover at his clients’ request.

As Mikami crosses paths with people from all walks of life, a common thread ties his clients together: dissatisfaction with their current lives and a yearning for fleeting happiness, no matter the cost. Some even become dependent on this fabricated happiness, forcing Mikami to confront the ethical dilemmas of his business. The most heart-wrenching moments come when a child must learn that the man they believed to be their father was a complete stranger all along.

Rental Family presents a fictional exploration of a very real phenomenon. Beneath its surface lies a poignant commentary on the loneliness of modern life and the scarcity of genuine human connections, particularly within the context of Japan’s culture of maintaining appearances.

A fresh take on “staffing solutions,” this film blends social critique with profound human stories to challenge perceptions of happiness and connection.

Information and bookings:
Petteri Uusitalo
petteri.uusitalo@tabicine.fi

Five years ago, Hana’s family was shattered by a tragic car accident. Her mother has been in a coma ever since, her father walks with a limp, and her younger sister Luna suffered severe burns that left her wearing a mask ever since. Though Hana escaped without physical injuries, she carries the heavy burden of survivor’s guilt.

Hana befriends Jun, a boy her age who is searching for answers about his mother’s mental collapse into silence and withdrawal. As more similar cases are reported in their town, Jun begins to suspect that Hana’s father might somehow be connected.

One day, Hana’s father brings home a woman claiming to be their mother, awakened from her coma. Luna, too young at the time of the accident to remember clearly, accepts her without question. But Hana is convinced that the woman is not her mother—her appearance is too different. Who is this woman, and why would she pretend to be their mother?

The Good Father is a gripping psychological thriller with elements of horror, peeling back the layers of a seemingly idyllic family to reveal dark secrets. It asks a haunting question: Can a father’s love for his family go too far?

***

From the producers of Drive My Car, this film stars rising talent Sara Minami (From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke) and the magnetic Hiroshi Tamaki (Nodame Cantabile, The Way of the Househusband, Golden Kamuy). The Good Father earned a Jury Special Mention at the 2022 Fantasporto Film Festival.

Finnish Film Foundation Import Support, 2024.