Filmmakers Miguel Gomes and Aki Kaurismäki, along with 35 others, are protesting Mubi's association with a pro-Israel financial backer.
In a recent development, a group of renowned filmmakers, including Aki Kaurismäki, Radu Jude, Miguel Gomes, and Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, have called on the independent film platform Mubi to sever ties with Sequoia Capital. The filmmakers are concerned about Sequoia's reported investments in Israeli military industries, which have been linked to the Palestinian conflict.
The controversy surrounding Mubi's financial relationship with Sequoia Capital gained public attention in 2025 when the Valdivia Film Festival in Chile refused to screen any films managed by Mubi, citing the platform's ties to the venture capital firm as a reason. The festival director explicitly linked Mubi's association with Sequoia Capital to "genocide in Palestine" (Buenos Aires Herald, 2025).
Following this, nearly 40 filmmakers, including the aforementioned, signed an open letter demanding Mubi cut its financial ties with Sequoia Capital given the moral and political implications (Screen Daily, 2025).
Mubi has denied allegations that it has shelved certain films in response to this criticism. However, the filmmakers' concerns persist, with calls for Mubi to reconsider its funding sources due to the ethical concerns around Sequoia Capital’s investments.
The filmmakers argue that Mubi's alignment with a firm investing in military technologies contradicts its mission to unite a global community of film lovers. They contend that this association is a challenge to Mubi's identity as an art-house cinema platform. The filmmakers maintain that an art-house cinema platform cannot reconcile its mission with investments in military technologies.
The filmmakers emphasize that Mubi's association with a firm investing in military technologies is incompatible with its role as an art-house cinema platform. They believe it's not feasible for Mubi to unite a global community of film lovers while aligning with a firm that invests in military technologies.
This is not the first time Mubi has faced criticism over its funding sources. In the past, the platform has been accused of censoring films due to political pressure. However, Mubi has consistently denied these allegations.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether Mubi will heed the filmmakers' call to end its financial relationship with Sequoia Capital. The decision could have significant implications for the platform's reputation and its commitment to its role as an art-house cinema platform.
References: - Buenos Aires Herald (2025). Valdivia Film Festival Rejects Mubi Films Over Sequoia Capital Ties. [online] Available at: https://www.buenosairesherald.com/arts/valdivia-film-festival-rejects-mubi-films-over-sequoia-capital-ties-1661620/ - Screen Daily (2025). Mubi Faces Calls to Cut Ties with Sequoia Capital over Ethical Concerns. [online] Available at: https://www.screendaily.com/news/mubi-faces-calls-to-cut-ties-with-sequoia-capital-over-ethical-concerns/5173149.article - AV Club (2025). Mubi Denies Shelving Films Amid Ethical Concerns over Sequoia Capital Ties. [online] Available at: https://www.avclub.com/mubi-denies-shelving-films-amid-ethical-concerns-ove-1848631585
The filmmakers' concerns about Mubi's financial associations extend beyond its involvement with Sequoia Capital, as they consider it ethically unacceptable for an art-house cinema platform to align with a firm investing in military technologies. In the realm of movies-and-tv entertainment, the ongoing controversy surrounding Mubi's ties with Sequoia Capital highlights the political and moral implications that funding sources can have on an organization's identity and commitment to its audience.
