MUBI, the arthouse film studio and niche streaming platform founded by Efe Cakarel, has carved out a place for itself in the film industry, capitalizing on the growing interest in independent and international prestige films. The company, which has seen significant growth in recent years, has a business model that combines distribution through its digital streaming service with theatrical releases, with a strong focus on major film festivals. As a result, it is a regular presence on the Croisette in Cannes, where this year it had three films competing in the main competition and one in the Un Certain Regard section of the International Film Festival.
Frequent collaborator, director Luca Guadagnino, expressed his confidence in the company’s model: ‘Mubi is a great and passionate company. They will grow a lot as a business’, Cakarel commented recently in a interview, that he remained optimistic about the platform’s future, stating that its ‘potential for growth remains vast because the global audience for specialty films is substantial and is underserved’.
Growth and success in global distribution
Founded in London in 2007, MUBI now has a staff of over 400 employees across 14 offices worldwide, with presences in local territories as LatAm, where develops constanly promotion strategies. The company has also expanded its distribution operations to North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Benelux region.
This year secured its first Oscar nominations, achieving a victory with the box office hit The Substance, which grossed $84 million globally—a record for the company. Jason Ropell, MUBI‘s Head of Content, highlighted the company’s model: ‘The unique element of our model is the global scale and capabilities that we have built in a market that has traditionally been served by boutique components of the big studios or regional players’.
Despite ongoing questions about its commercial viability, the service received over $100 million in private equity investment between 2021 and 2024. The company has made significant acquisitions at festivals and signed co-production deals, such as the recent one with Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli’s production company, Our Films.
A commitment to arthouse filmmaking
As MUBI grows, speculation has arisen about whether the company will maintain its commitment to emerging filmmakers. Ropell addressed these concerns, asserting that ‘there is no evidence to suggest we’re going to abandon the space that helped build this company’. He affirmed that the company will continue to invest in this sector in a «rational and sustainable» way.
The company has also ventured into its own production, with films like The Mastermind by Kelly Reichardt. Furthermore, it is investing in physical infrastructure, with its first cinema under construction in Mexico and rumors of another in Los Angeles.
While MUBI does not disclose its subscriber figures, internal sources indicate the company has around 16 million registered users and that its gross margins are much higher than those of major streamers. Its rapid growth is not without industry scrutiny, with some experts questioning whether this pace is sustainable. However, company executives defends the strategy: ‘We understand the economics of intimate specialized cinema and have built our business model to sustainably support ambitious projects. Our biggest challenge, and at the same time our biggest opportunity, is to scale sustainably without compromising our distinctive identity’.
