No Other Land to be self-released on US platforms after ‘unethical’ Mubi deal rejected

US Streaming Platforms Reject Mubi Deal Over 'Unethical' Ties; No Other Land to be Self-Released Instead

A highly publicized deal with streaming giant Mubi has been rejected by a Palestinian-Israeli collective behind an Oscar-winning documentary that sheds light on the brutal displacement of Palestinians from their homes in Masafer Yatta by Israeli forces.

No Other Land, which won the best documentary Oscar and raked in $2.5 million at the US box office, will now be made available for home viewing in the US starting next week, marking its first time being self-released on American platforms.

The collective behind the film, led by co-directors Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, distanced themselves from Mubi after controversy arose over the company's ties to Sequoia Capital. The investment firm is linked to Kela, a defense tech firm founded by four Israeli military veterans.

"This film shows the harsh reality of Israeli occupation and oppression against Palestinians – but that truth apparently didn't fit the narrative that big US streamers wanted to promote," said Adra in a statement. "In addition to being unethical, it made no sense to us that they would take our film showing Israel's oppression of Palestinians, and then also partner with a company contributing to that oppression."

The decision not to partner with Mubi comes amidst growing concerns over the firm's involvement with Kela. Film-makers such as Joshua Oppenheimer and Miguel Gomes have called on Mubi to sever ties with Sequoia Capital.

However, Mubi maintained its stance, stating that "the beliefs of individual investors do not reflect the views of Mubi" and emphasizing their commitment to remaining an independent company.

The rejection of Mubi's offer is part of a larger issue plaguing the film industry in the US. A recent drama about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, The Voice Of Hind Rajab, remains without distribution, sparking widespread criticism and concerns over censorship.

It appears that "buyers are passing out of fear" due to growing backlash against films with Palestinian themes. The recent Gaza ceasefire agreement comes after the deaths of nearly 66,000 Palestinians, highlighting a pressing need for increased sensitivity and awareness around issues of human rights and social justice in the film industry.

I'm low-key relieved that No Other Land is ditching Mubi, but also kinda frustrated that other streaming platforms are just gonna be self-releasing it instead . Like, where's the recognition for the filmmakers and their hard work? It's all about the benjamins now, huh . And btw, have you seen The Voice Of Hind Rajab? That drama needs to get out there ASAP! The whole Gaza situation is just too intense .

I'm low-key disappointed that Mubi dropped out on this deal . I mean, No Other Land is such an important film shedding light on the struggles of Palestinians. It's not like they were asking for much, just a platform to reach a wider audience . The whole thing with Sequoia Capital and Kela just feels sketchy . Can't these streamers just stick to promoting their own content without getting caught up in the politics? It's making it hard for filmmakers like Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham to get their message out there . Maybe they should've considered other platforms that actually care about social justice .

I just don't get why streaming platforms are being so weird about this deal... like, isn't the whole point of having diverse content that everyone can learn from? This Mubi thing just seems like a bunch of corporate politics and I'm lowkey salty for the filmmakers involved. It's like, you're making a documentary about human rights and social justice, not some sensationalized Netflix show . The fact that they're being pressured by "buyers" to censor themselves is wild ... can't we just have open conversations about these issues instead of trying to silence them?

I'm so confused about this Mubi deal thingy ... like how can they just reject it over 'unethical' ties? what exactly is unethical about Sequoia Capital's involvement with Kela? shouldn't we be talking about the real issue, which is the treatment of Palestinians in Israel?

and another thing, if big US streamers are passing out because of fear, that's super concerning . Can we afford to let our cultural and social values get held hostage by fear of backlash? I mean, what's next? Will they not distribute films about climate change or racial inequality for fear of offending someone?

I'm all for supporting Palestinian artists and their work, but shouldn't we be pushing for more inclusive and nuanced storytelling that reflects the complexity of these issues?

just thinkin... Mubi deal fell thru cuz of Sequoia Cap's links to Israel's defense tech firm . that's messed up if they're gonna promote 'em on their platform while makin' a profit off movies about occupied territories . now No Other Land's goin solo in the US ... hope it gets the attention it deserves and sparks some real change

man this is soooo not cool... i mean its all well and good that they're making the doc available self-released but like come on mubi shoulda thought twice before getting tied up with sequoia capital over it . can't imagine how frustrating it must be for them to have their film's message get watered down like this... no other land is a super powerful doc and i'm actually kinda bummed that its not gonna be streaming on mubi

I'm not surprised that US streaming platforms rejected Mubi's deal . It's clear that they didn't want to get caught up in all the controversy surrounding Israeli occupation and oppression against Palestinians . As an Oscar-winning documentary, No Other Land has already shown the harsh reality of the situation, but it seems like some people are still afraid to touch the topic .

It's not just Mubi that's at fault here – the entire industry is grappling with this issue . The fact that a film about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces can't get distribution is a huge red flag. It's time for the US streaming platforms to take a stand and support films that shed light on important social justice issues .

Self-releasing No Other Land in the US is definitely a step in the right direction, but it feels like just a Band-Aid solution . We need more than just one film being released to spark change . The industry needs to come together and create a platform for stories that need to be told .

omg this is so weird i just watched No Other Land on Amazon Prime last month lol but what's with all these streaming platforms being super sensitive about Mubi I feel like they're trying to avoid controversy or something

and can we talk about the Oscars for a sec? who won Best Documentary that year? was it really just No Other Land? seemed kinda one-dimensional to me also what's up with all these Palestinian stories being made and shown but still not getting equal attention on the US platforms? like, I get that it's a sensitive topic but can't we have more diverse perspectives?

anyway, back to Mubi... so they're saying their views don't reflect those of Sequoia Capital? like how do they know that for sure? shouldn't they be like "we can't work with you because you're basically pro-Israel"? and what's with all the film-makers calling out Mubi? are they just mad about not getting a cut or something?

and btw, has anyone seen The Voice Of Hind Rajab yet? I'm really curious to watch it but don't wanna if it's gonna get censored or whatever

I think this whole thing is super problematic... Mubi's decision to partner with Sequoia Capital because of its connections to defense tech firms is just red flag after red flag . It's like, how can you promote a documentary that shines light on Israeli occupation and oppression, then also be tied to companies that contribute to that problem? Not cool at all .

And let's not forget the bigger picture - films with Palestinian themes are getting stuck in limbo due to fear of backlash . The Voice Of Hind Rajab is a great example of this... how can we expect these stories to be told if they're too scary or uncomfortable for some buyers? It's all about creating change, but you need people willing to take the risk to make those changes happen .

Anyway, I'm glad No Other Land will now be self-released on US platforms . At least we can get our hands on it and share its message with others .

I'm kinda surprised that Mubi backed out from dealin' with this collective . I mean, it's not like they were gonna profit offa some super controversial doc about Palestinians gettin' displaced by Israeli forces . But, at the same time, I can see why the collective would wanna distance themselves from a company that's got ties to Sequoia Capital and Kela . I don't know, maybe they should've just been open about it in the first place? Anyway, I think this is part of a bigger problem with film distribution in the US, where people are gettin' kinda too scared to show films that touch on sensitive topics . It's like, we need more diverse voices and perspectives bein' represented on platforms, not less .

can't believe mubi would even consider partnering w/ Sequoia Capital considering their ties to kela it's like they didn't watch No Other Land at all... that film is a powerful statement on the brutal displacement of palestinians, and mubi is basically saying they don't care about telling those stories anymore meanwhile, this just goes to show that some big streamers are more interested in making money than doing the right thing we need more platforms like vimeo or dailymotion that actually care about promoting human rights and social justice films

this is so messed up! US streaming platforms can't even be bothered to separate their business ties from their values... like, what's next? Mubi has some serious explaining to do on why they're still partnering with Sequoia Capital after all these warnings about Kela. It's not just about the film itself, it's about the message and the impact it can have on people's perceptions of Israel-Palestine. And honestly, I don't blame the collective for walking away from Mubi - their art is already being censored and watered down in the US anyway... maybe they should just take matters into their own hands and release it themselves?

I'm so frustrated with this deal between Mubi and Sequoia Capital . I mean, come on, who wants to be associated with an investment firm that's linked to a defense tech company founded by Israeli military veterans? It just doesn't add up for me. The Palestinian collective behind No Other Land is right to distance themselves from Mubi over this - it's not just about the film itself, but about the narrative and values that the platform wants to promote. And now they're choosing to self-release on other platforms instead? Good on 'em! It's time for the US streaming giants to take a stand against oppression and human rights violations. We need more films like No Other Land being shown in the US, not less. The industry needs to wake up and recognize the impact of their choices - buyers are indeed passing out of fear, but it's time for them to take a brave stance instead of playing it safe.

just read that Mubi rejected a deal with a team behind an Oscar-winning documentary about the brutal displacement of Palestinians... seems like a lot of major streaming platforms are too scared to take on films that show uncomfortable truths especially after all we've been through in Gaza recently this is so frustrating because art can be such a powerful tool for change, but it's being held back by fear and censorship what's the point of even calling ourselves a "film industry" if we're just gonna shy away from tough topics

I'm literally shook by this news! The fact that Mubi rejected No Other Land over "ethical" ties to Sequoia Capital is just another example of how far we've strayed from promoting empathy and understanding in our entertainment industry . It's unacceptable that a film exposing the harsh realities of Israeli occupation would be deemed too sensitive for mainstream audiences .

And can we talk about how this decision reflects the fear that big streamers are having? Are they really so scared of tackling tough topics that they're willing to sacrifice their integrity and platform for profit? It's a hard truth, but it seems like some folks are more interested in avoiding controversy than sparking meaningful conversations .

I'm all for holding the film industry accountable for its representation and impact on society . We need more voices that are willing to tackle these complex issues head-on and promote empathy and understanding . It's time to reevaluate what we consider "entertainment" in this era

omg u gotta ask wut Mubi did wrong lol i didnt no about seqoia capital being linked to defense tech firm Kela it sounds sketchy tho anyway im all 4 No Other Land it's an important docu and ppl should be able to watch it without worries whats goin on with The Voice Of Hind Rajab tho? cant it get distributed already?? i wonder if Mubi would still do the deal w/o seqoia capital involved