MUBI is the best streaming service for independent cinema lovers
With new films added daily and a handpicked collection, MUBI is perfect for viewers who want a deeper connection to cinema.
About a month ago I stumbled on a movie store (remember those) just down the street from my house that rents Blu-rays and DVDs. It was like walking into the past in the best possible way. The walls are littered with thousands of carefully curated indie film titles categorized first by genre or country, and then by director or actor. I spent half an hour just bouncing from wall to wall, checking out the titles. The store was even complete with a knowledgeable film buff behind the counter to help me out. If you miss that experience, I have a streamer for you: MUBI – the best streamer for independent film and arthouse movie enthusiasts. Here’s why…
Everything you need to know about MUBI
What is MUBI?
MUBI is a global streaming platform dedicated to showcasing carefully curated films – like your own personal arthouse theater. It offers a selection of over 800 movies, documentaries, and shorts, with a new film added daily. Unlike most streaming services that prioritize quantity, MUBI focuses on quality, handpicking films from acclaimed directors, international gems, and indie masterpieces that mainstream platforms ignore. It also serves as a production company and distribution arm for projects it believes in, and through “MUBI GO,” gives subscribers in select cities a free cinema ticket each week to see the latest releases on the big screen.
MUBI
The global curated film streaming platform features a substantial collection of 800+ films, documentaries, and shorts with a new movie added every day to the lineup. As a production company and film distributor, MUBI produces and distributes exclusive films by emerging and established filmmakers, which are only available on its platform. The streaming service is available in more than 190 countries.
Viewers can add MUBI as an Amazon Prime Video channel, so the content can be available there as well as in the MUBI app.
Students can enjoy a 30-day free trial and a discounted membership at $6.99/month.
Why MUBI is the best streamer for independent and arthouse film fans
MUBI is the best streamer for arthouse and indie film buffs for a few reasons. First, MUBI offers a curated streaming library that emphasizes artistic and culturally significant films, often overlooked by mainstream streamers. Its selection covers a ton of different genres, including independent films, international cinema, festival favorites, and classic masterpieces. Subscribers will find works from directors like Wong Kar-wai and Agnès Varda, as well as discover hidden gems from emerging filmmakers.
But MUBI isn’t just a streaming platform - it’s also a powerhouse in film production and distribution. It helps produce and distribute exclusive films from emerging and established filmmakers, available only on its platform. In other words, it puts its money where its mouth is. Their commitment to original cinema shines through in projects like Coralie Fargeat’s “Substance,” and “My First Film” from Zia Anger. MUBI has also collaborated with newer talents, producing fresh voices in cinema, like Emma Seligman’s breakout feature “Shiva Baby.”
And there’s more. “MUBI GO” provides subscribers in select regions with a free cinema ticket each week, allowing members to experience the best new releases on the big screen. It’s perfect for cinephiles who want to support independent cinema in theaters while also getting full access to MUBI’s streaming library at home. Plus, its online publication, “Notebook,” dives deep into film criticism, essays, and industry news, adding a thoughtful layer of commentary for users who want to engage more deeply with cinema.
Now, there are some other streamers that deserve an honorable mention here. Kanopy offers a vast library of indie films and documentaries for free with a library card, making it a solid option for film buffs on a budget. IFC Films Unlimited specializes in distributing independent and critically acclaimed films, including festival favorites. And The Criterion Channel has a solid collection of arthouse and classic films, focusing on restored editions and curated collections. These platforms may not offer the same variety of features that MUBI does, but they’re still great resources for indie film enthusiasts.
What indie movies are available on MUBI?
One of the top movies available on MUBI right now is “The Substance,” directed by Coralie Fargeat - a darkly satirical body horror film that explores society’s obsession with youth. The story follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a Hollywood star whose career is cut short when she’s dismissed from her aerobics show on her 50th birthday. Desperate to get back in the spotlight, Elisabeth discovers a mysterious serum known as “The Substance,” which creates a younger version of herself named Sue. But the serum comes with a catch: Elisabeth and Sue must alternate control of their shared body, with one unconscious while the other lives. As Sue’s popularity skyrockets, surpassing Elisabeth’s past fame, their relationship deteriorates into a struggle for dominance where vanity and the pursuit of eternal youth take center stage.
For fans of short films, there’s Francisco Lezama’s, “The Odd Turn,” - a surreal short set in bustling Buenos Aires. The story centers on Lucrecia, a museum security guard who relies on her trusty pendulum to guide her through life’s uncertainties. One day, her pendulum reveals a cryptic vision of an art heist and a shift in global finance. As Lucrecia becomes obsessed with her premonitions, she finds herself entangled with a charismatic currency exchange worker who may hold the key to unraveling the mystery.
For comedy fans, there’s Martín Rejtman’s film, “The Practice,” which follows Gustavo, an Argentine yoga instructor living in Mexico City, who leads a life of meticulous repetition. His days are filled with private lessons, meticulous habits, and an almost meditative solitude. But as Gustavo’s tightly controlled world begins to unravel through a series of unexpected encounters, he’s forced to confront the deeper, unspoken desires that lie beneath his regimented lifestyle.
And for documentary fans, you can check out “Life Is Not A Competition, But I’m Winning.” The story follows a collective of queer athletes who enter the Olympic Stadium in Athens and set out to honor those who were excluded from standing on the winners’ podium.
Here are some of the other popular indie movies on MUBI:
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American Psycho
April 13, 2000A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies.
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Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
October 13, 2023Sasha is a young vampire with a serious problem: she’s too sensitive to kill. When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha’s life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul’s last wishes before day breaks.
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Crossing
March 22, 2024Lia, a retired teacher from Georgia, learns from her young neighbor, Achi, that her long-lost transgender niece, Tekla, has crossed the border into Turkey. In search of Tekla, Lia travels to Istanbul with the unpredictable Achi, where they explore the hidden depths of the city.
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A Place Without Fear
March 29, 2024Through a nonlinear, abstract and surreal form of storytelling, this film follows a protagonist through a labyrinth of physical and emotional situations, set in a house which acts as both the set for the story and a metaphor for the mind. The techniques used in the film are a mix of analogue and digital: actual painting in the house, digital rendering and avatars, stop-motion painting, drawing, and collaging, with the majority created in Detroit and subsequent scenes finalised in London. With an original score by Susanne Deeken in collaboration with experimental and jazz musicians from Detroit.
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The Rules of Attraction
October 11, 2002The incredibly spoiled and overprivileged students of Camden College are a backdrop for an unusual love triangle between a drug dealer, a virgin and a bisexual classmate.
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The Canyons
August 2, 2013The discovery of an illicit love affair leads two young Angelenos on a violent, sexually charged tour through the dark side of human nature.
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The Substance
September 7, 2024A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
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My First Film
August 30, 2024A young filmmaker, Vita, revisits her first chaotic attempt at filmmaking 15 years prior. Shooting a semi-autobiographical film starring her friend Dina, Vita’s eager but inexperienced approach causes the production to spiral into chaos, leading to significant disruptions and a near-fatal accident.
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The Practice
September 5, 2024Dealing with a series of increasingly absurd situations and relationships, recently separated yoga instructors Gustavo and Vanesa are finding it difficult to live apart. Their challenges include meddling mothers, amnesiac students, and burgeoning romances. Step by step, they find their way back to the practice.
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Life Is Not a Competition, But I’m Winning
December 14, 2023If history is written by the victors, where does that leave those who were never allowed to be part of the game? A collective of queer athletes enters the Olympic Stadium in Athens and sets out to honour those who were excluded from standing on the winners’ podium. They meet Amanda Reiter, a trans* marathon runner who has to struggle with the prejudices of sports organisers, and Annet Negesa, a 800m runner who was urged by the international sports federations to undergo hormone-altering surgery. Together they create a radical poetic utopia far from the rigid gender rules found in competitive sports.
How much does MUBI cost?
A subscription to MUBI costs $15 per month, but when you sign up through Prime Video as an add-on channel, you’ll get a seven-day free trial to see how you like the service. If you’re ready to commit longer, you can save a bit of money and get the annual subscription for $120 per year ($10 per month). Either way, you’ll get the ability to stream on up to two devices, and offline downloads on Android and iOS Apple devices. Oh, and students can enjoy a 30-day free trial and a discounted membership at $7 per month.
MUBI also offers MUBI GO, a premium plan that includes all standard streaming features plus one hand-picked cinema ticket each week to see a selected film in theaters. This plan is priced at $20 per month or $168 per year. Before you sign up for MUBI GO, though, first make sure it’s available in your city.
What platforms can you watch MUBI on?
MUBI is compatible with a bunch of the top platforms. You can watch it on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast (Google Cast), Roku, Android TV, iPhone / iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, VIZIO Smart TV.
MUBI
The global curated film streaming platform features a substantial collection of 800+ films, documentaries, and shorts with a new movie added every day to the lineup. As a production company and film distributor, MUBI produces and distributes exclusive films by emerging and established filmmakers, which are only available on its platform. The streaming service is available in more than 190 countries.
Viewers can add MUBI as an Amazon Prime Video channel, so the content can be available there as well as in the MUBI app.
Students can enjoy a 30-day free trial and a discounted membership at $6.99/month.