Arthouse film rental library MUBI arrives on PS3 today in Europe and Australia; 500 films on launch.
After becoming frustrated with the lack of online hubs for independent films, MUBI founder Efe Cakarel decided to create his own online library of independent, indie and arthouse films. Since its launch in 2007, MUBI has become an online community for lovers of indie films, who come to watch, read, share, and discuss with other members.
Now, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCEA) is bringing the MUBI service to the PlayStation 3 in Australia and New Zealand, after launching in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Iberia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, and Nordic countries earlier this week. The service, first announced during Gamescom 2010 in August, will be available to download for free from today. Users will be able to access MUBI’s online database of over 500 films, and stream them directly through the PS3. Films will be available to rent for A$1.75 (US$1.75) for short films and A$6.25 (US$6.27) for feature films for a seven-day period; alternatively, users can sign up for an unlimited 30-day subscription for A$19.95. The average size of a feature film will be about 500 to 600MB.
MUBI’s current library includes work from legendary directors such as D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, Michelangelo Antonioni, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnes Varda’s entire body of work, as well as films from the festival circuits. There are also classics such as Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, Pedro Almodovar’s All About My Mother, and newer films such as Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth and Christopher Nolan’s recent blockbuster hit, Inception.
According to Cakarel, Aussie films make up a quarter of MUBI’s library, including classics like Chopper and older films such as Puberty Blues and Mad Dog Morgan.
The service will also include Facebook integration and sharing recommendations, as well as an integrated link to MUBI’s online community where users can discuss films with other members and interact with directors (like Martin Scorsese, for example, who is a MUBI member). MUBI is also partnered with film studios such as Hopscotch Films. The latter has recently signed a deal to bring new releases to MUBI’s PS3 service day-and-date with DVD releases.
While the films are currently offered in SD only, there are plans to begin an HD service next year.
“MUBI is all about making great films accessible,” Cakarel said. “Part of this is bringing the experience in HD, but at the moment this is not possible with Australia’s broadband speeds.”
SCEA managing director Michael Ephraim was positive that this would not be a problem for much longer, saying internet speeds will be a “non-issue in a year or two” in Australia.
“PS3s now have hit a 1 million install base mark in Australia, with 65 percent of user connected to PSN and 75 percent of users over the age of 18. A service like MUBI is unique and innovative, and we hope will inspire our current fans and bring a new community of film enthusiasts to PlayStation.”
To celebrate its launch on the PS3, MUBI will play host to the global premiere of Revolucion, a compilation of 10 shorts celebrating the centenary of the 1910 Mexican uprising, directed by 10 of Mexico’s most visionary directors including Gael Garcia Bernal, Amat Escalante, Gerardo Naranjo, and Carlos Reygadas. The film will premiere globally on November 20, released simultaneously in cinemas and for free on MUBI.
MUBI is also working on bringing a localised team to Australia, who will improve the service even more.
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