Indie Filmmaker Jim Jarmusch Criticizes Mubi’s $100M Funding Round Tied to Israeli Defense Tech Firm

Noted film director Jim Jarmusch unveiled his latest production, “Father Mother Sister Brother,” at the Venice Film Festival today. During a press conference, journalists probed him about Mubi, the streaming service that co-financed the film, particularly regarding their recent $100 million funding round spearheaded by Sequoia Capital.

Jarmusch expressed his dissatisfaction and unease about this partnership, yet acknowledged that his professional association with Mubi predated this financing round, during which they proved to be commendable collaborators for the film’s production.

A group of filmmakers, some connected to Mubi, have penned an open letter criticizing the streaming platform for accepting funding from Sequoia. The letter alleges that Sequoia’s investment in Israeli defense tech startup Kela links Mubi’s corporate growth directly to the conflict in Gaza. In response, Mubi’s founder and CEO asserted that such claims suggesting a connection between their work and financing military conflicts are utterly false (Mubi).

At the press conference, Jarmusch clarified that he is not Mubi’s spokesperson but rather an independent filmmaker who has sourced funds from multiple sources to bring his films to fruition. He stated emphatically, “All corporate money is tainted.”