MUBI
A curated streaming service that showcases hand-picked cinema from around the world
Overview
MUBI is a highly curated streaming platform that hand-picks films for its library, offering subscribers a carefully selected rotation of international, classic, and independent cinema. The platform has earned a devoted following among cinephiles for its editorial taste and presentation.
Rather than hosting an overwhelming catalog, MUBI presents a focused selection of films that changes regularly. The editorial team selects each title, and films are often accompanied by critical essays and context that enhance the viewing experience.
How It Works
Being featured on MUBI carries significant prestige within the independent film community. The platform's audience is global and highly engaged, with viewers who specifically seek out challenging and artistic cinema.
Subscriptions cost approximately $12 per month for viewers. Filmmakers interested in having their work featured should contact MUBI's acquisitions team, as the platform acquires content selectively rather than through open submission.
Who Uses It
A prestigious platform for filmmakers whose work aligns with MUBI's curatorial vision of quality world cinema. Inclusion on MUBI can significantly boost a film's critical profile and connect it with a passionate audience.
Pricing & Plans
MUBI subscriptions cost approximately $12.99 per month or $95.88 per year for viewers, with pricing varying slightly by region across the platform's global availability in over 190 countries. For filmmakers, MUBI acquires content through licensing agreements negotiated directly with distributors, sales agents, and occasionally filmmakers themselves, with terms varying based on the film's profile, festival history, and strategic value to MUBI's programming. The platform does not operate an open submission portal — content is acquired through MUBI's editorial and acquisitions team, who actively seek out titles that align with the platform's curatorial vision. Licensing fees and terms are not publicly disclosed and vary significantly between titles, with some acquisitions involving minimum guarantees, revenue-sharing arrangements, or flat licensing fees for specific territorial and duration windows. MUBI has also expanded into theatrical distribution through MUBI Go, offering subscribers one free cinema ticket per week to a MUBI-curated film, which creates an additional distribution pathway for films that MUBI champions. The platform's MUBI Notebook, a dedicated film publication, and its social features create an ecosystem where films benefit from editorial context and community discussion alongside the streaming itself.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
Being featured on MUBI carries significant prestige within the international film community, as the platform's curatorial reputation means that inclusion signals artistic quality and cinematic merit to critics, programmers, and industry professionals worldwide. The hand-picked curation model means your film receives focused editorial attention rather than being lost in an algorithm-driven catalog, with each title presented alongside critical essays, filmmaker context, and curatorial commentary that enhances the viewing experience. MUBI's global presence across 190+ countries provides genuinely international distribution that connects your film with passionate cinephile audiences in markets that many independent distributors cannot efficiently reach. The platform's MUBI Go theatrical distribution creates a unique marketing funnel where subscribers who watch your film at home may also see it in theaters, and vice versa, amplifying its cultural presence across both formats. MUBI's devoted subscriber base consists of some of the most engaged and knowledgeable film audiences in the world, meaning your film reaches viewers who appreciate artistic ambition and are likely to discuss, recommend, and champion work they respond to. The MUBI Notebook publication provides additional critical context and visibility for featured films, creating a content ecosystem where editorial coverage drives viewership and cultural conversation.
What Could Be Better
MUBI's highly selective acquisitions process means that the vast majority of independent films will never be featured on the platform, and there is no open submission pathway for filmmakers to apply, making it a distribution channel that you can hope for but cannot directly pursue. The editorial curation that makes MUBI prestigious also means the platform's programming reflects the tastes and priorities of its editorial team, which may not align with every filmmaking style or genre — commercially-oriented independent films, genre work, and mainstream-accessible stories are less likely to be selected. The relatively small subscriber base compared to major streaming services means that even featured films on MUBI reach a fraction of the audience they might find on platforms like Netflix, Amazon, or even Tubi, limiting the commercial revenue potential. Licensing terms negotiated with MUBI may include exclusivity windows that prevent your film from appearing on other streaming platforms during the MUBI licensing period, potentially restricting broader distribution. The rotating catalog model means your film may only be available on MUBI for a limited period before being removed, unlike platforms where content remains indefinitely available to generate ongoing viewership and revenue. MUBI's international pricing varies by region, with lower subscription costs in developing markets potentially reducing per-subscriber licensing revenue for filmmakers in those territories.
Our Recommendation
MUBI is recommended as an aspirational distribution target for filmmakers whose work aligns with the platform's editorial vision of quality international, art-house, and auteur cinema. If your film has strong festival pedigree — selections or awards at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, or other major festivals — your chances of attracting MUBI's attention increase significantly, and your sales agent should proactively pitch the title to MUBI's acquisitions team. Filmmakers without festival recognition or existing sales agent relationships should focus on building their festival and critical profile first, as MUBI's acquisitions are driven by curatorial judgment that heavily weighs festival history and critical reception. For genre filmmakers, commercial independents, or creators whose work does not align with MUBI's art-house identity, other platforms like Tubi, Amazon Video Direct, or FilmHub distribution will provide more accessible and practical distribution outcomes. If MUBI does acquire your film, treat the inclusion as a major credential that enhances your professional profile and use it to build momentum for future projects.
Pro Tips
Build a strong festival strategy as the primary pathway to attracting MUBI's attention, as the platform's acquisitions team actively scouts major festivals and responds to critical buzz and awards recognition more than any other factor. Work with a reputable sales agent or distributor who has existing relationships with MUBI's acquisitions team, as direct filmmaker pitches are less likely to succeed than submissions through established industry intermediaries. If your film is selected for MUBI, actively promote the inclusion through your professional network and social media, as MUBI's cinephile audience responds to filmmaker engagement and personal storytelling about the creative process behind featured films. Create compelling supplementary materials — director's statements, behind-the-scenes content, or thematic essays — that MUBI Notebook might feature alongside your film, enhancing its editorial presence on the platform. Pay attention to MUBI's programming patterns and thematic focuses to understand whether your current or future projects align with the platform's curatorial interests, as this strategic awareness helps you and your representatives time pitches and submissions for maximum receptivity.
