Filmmakers urge MUBI to sever ties with Sequoia over Israeli military tech investments linked to Gaza genocide

More than 35 acclaimed filmmakers associated with arthouse distributor and streaming platform MUBI have signed an open letter demanding the company cut ties with investor Sequoia Capital over its links to Israeli military tech firms.

The signatories include prominent international directors such as Aki Kaurismäki, Radu Jude, Miguel Gomes, and Joshua Oppenheimer. Their letter criticises MUBI’s decision to accept a $100 million investment from Sequoia in May, citing the venture capital firm’s involvement in defense-tech startups with direct ties to Israeli intelligence.

“MUBI’s financial growth as a company is now explicitly tied to the genocide in Gaza,” the letter states, pointing to Sequoia’s 2024 investment in Kela, a battlefield operating system founded by Israeli military veterans. The filmmakers argue this association contradicts MUBI’s identity as a platform committed to global cinema and social responsibility.

MUBI, which previously issued a statement saying investor views do not reflect its own, has declined to comment on the letter.

The signatories also called on MUBI to meet demands set by the activist group Film Workers for Palestine, including:

• Publicly condemning Sequoia Capital for “genocide profiteering”

• Removing Sequoia partner Andrew Reed from MUBI’s board

• Implementing ethical investment and programming policies aligned with PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel)

The backlash has already had tangible effects. Festivals and venues such as Glasgow’s CCA, Mexico City’s Cineteca Nacional, and the Cinemateca de Bogotá have withdrawn from MUBI Fest, while Chile’s Valdivia Film Festival announced it would no longer screen films distributed by the company. Programming partner Girls In Film also ended its seven-year collaboration, citing MUBI’s prioritisation of “commercial growth” over ethics.