May At MUBI Will Have Devils And Pioneers

April 24, 2023 , Paul Devine , Leave a comment

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May is a big month on the cinematic calendar with Cannes Film Festival. Next month over at boutique streaming service MUBI, it will be a month of ‘devils’ and ‘pioneers’.

Léa Mysius debut feature, John Cassavetes, Martin Scorsese, Short films big names and a celebration of Cannes will feature on the channel…

MUBI RELEASES: THE FIVE DEVILS

Following its theatrical release in March, we are proud to be bringing the acclaimed breakout from filmmaker Léa Mysius, The Five Devils (2022), exclusively to MUBI this May. Starring Adèle Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Colour, 2013), Daphne Patakia (Benedetta, 2021), Swala Emati, Moustapha Mbengue, and introducing Sally Dramé, The Five Devils (2022) received its World Premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival in Directors’ Fortnight.

The film follows eight-year-old Vicky (Sally Dramé) who has an unusual gift: she can recreate any scent she comes across, even that of her beloved mother Joanne (Adèle Exarchopoulos). When Vicky’s estranged aunt suddenly returns to their mountain town, the invocation of her fragrance plunges the young girl back in time to unravel the mystery of Joanne’s fiery past with her now sister-in-law. If you didn’t get the chance to catch The Five Devils (2022) in cinemas, be sure to watch this witchy and wildly imaginative fable on MUBI this May.

The Five Devils (Léa Mysius, 2022) – 12th May

FESTIVAL FOCUS: CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Since 1946, the crème de la crème of world cinema have assembled annually on the French Riviera to celebrate a star-studded slate of the year’s finest films. In celebration of the return to the Croisette, this May we will be highlighting a rich selection of films presented at previous editions of the Cannes Film Festival.

Within this series, we will present Maksym Nakonechnyi’s harrowing drama Butterfly Vision (2022) and Kira Kovalenko’s defiant and bracing Unclenching The Fists (2021) (winner of the Un Certain Regard at Cannes Film Festival 2021) exclusively on MUBI.

Joan of Arc (Bruno Dumont, 2016) – 16th May
Butterfly Vision (Maksym Nakonechnyi, 2022) – 17th May
An Exercise in Discipline – Peel (Jane Campion, 1986) – 18th May
Sicario (Denis Villeneuve, 2015) – 19th May
Antichrist (Lars von Trier, 2009) – 20th May
Stranger By The Lake (Alain Guiraudie, 2013) – 21st May
De Humani Corporis Fabrica (Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel, 2022), – 22nd May
Western (Valeska Grisebach, 2017) – 23rd May
Marx Can Wait (Marco Bellocchio, 2017) – 24th May

The Potemkinists (Radu Jude, 2022) – 25th May
Unclenching The Fists (Kira Kovalenko, 2021) – 26th May
Requiem for a Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000) – 27th May

JOURNEY TO THE PAST: A MARTIN SCORSESE DOUBLE-BILL

Get ready for a cinematic treat this May, as we bring you a special double-bill from one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time – Martin Scorsese. With a filmography spanning over five decades, Scorsese’s unique style and uncompromising vision have led to his films being hailed as masterpieces of modern cinema, and he has the accolades to prove it. Catch the brutal and gritty Gangs of New York (2002) and the cinematic love letter documentary A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) when they arrive on MUBI this month.

Gangs of New York (Martin Scorsese, 2002) – 5th May
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (Martin Scorsese, 1995) – 14th May

POSTCARDS FROM ENGLAND: PATRICK KEILLER’S ROBINSON TRILOGY

This May, we are thrilled to announce Patrick Keiller’s Trilogy – a mesmerising series of documentary films that invite you to discover the cultural and social landscape of England, as viewed through the lens of a nameless narrator who travels with his mysterious companion, Robinson. Comprising of three extraordinary films – London (1994), Robinson in Space (1997), and Robinson in Ruins (2010) – each film delves into the complex themes of landscape, history, and identity in England in its own unique way. Using a blend of narration, archive footage, and original filmography, Keiller masterfully immerses the viewer in an unforgettable journey of exploration and discovery.

London (Patrick Keiller, 1994) – 5th May
Robinson in Space (Patrick Keiller, 1999) – 15th May
Robinson in Ruins (Patrick Keiller, 2010) – 29th May

UNDER THE INFLUENCE: FILMS BY JOHN CASSAVETES

John Cassavetes is celebrated as one of the pioneers of American independent cinema, renowned for his captivating films that exude intense emotional realism, an improvisational style, and a penetrating exploration of his characters’ inner lives. This May, we are proud to present some of Cassavetes‘ most noteworthy works, including his seminal films Shadows (1959) and Faces (1968) followed by A Woman Under the Influence (1974), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) and Opening Night (1977) which will be arriving soon to the platform.

Shadows (John Cassavetes, 1958) – 30th May
Faces (John Cassavetes, 1968) – 30th May
A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974) – Coming soon
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (John Cassavetes, 1976) – Coming soon
Opening Night (John Cassavetes, 1977) – Coming soon

SHORT FILMS BIG NAMES

From iconic early works to new experiments, Short Films Big Names provides an entry point to the creative roots and signature handwriting of renowned directors. We kick off this new season with Jane Campion’s third short film An Exercise in Discipline – Peel (1986) which draws a fun, absurdist link between the colour orange and ideas around stubbornness and fiery family dynamics merging narrative and form in masterful rhythmic, inventive ways.

An Exercise in Discipline – Peel (Jane Campion, 1986) – 18th May

ARTIST IN FOCUS: ANA VAZ

This month, we are proud to present a double bill focusing on the work of Brazilian artist and experimental filmmaker Ana Vaz. Through a profusion of intricate and powerful portraits of land, animals and people, both films foreground narratives and perspectives that have been absent, or erased, from history – The Age of Stone (2013), a voyage into the far west of Brazil inspired by the epic construction of Brasília, and It is Night in America (2022), a wildlife eco-horror and nocturnal western that blurs the perspective of animals and humans.

The Age of Stone (Ana Vaz, 2013) – 8th May
It is Night in America (Ana Vaz, 2022) –9th May

MUBI RELEASES

Exclusive streaming premieres from the most prestigious international film festivals and rediscovered classics selected by MUBI’s curators

[Viewfinder] Five centuries ago, anatomist André Vésale opened up the human body to science for the first time in history. Today, directors Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor open the human body to cinema in De Humani Corporis Fabrica (2022). Visceral, funny, and gruellingly fascinating, this observational documentary explores the materiality, diversity and fragility of our bodies revealing that human flesh is an extraordinary landscape existing only through the gaze and attention of others.

De Humani Corporis Fabrica (Verena Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, 2022) – 22nd May

[Brief Encounters] In 1905, the sailors on the battleship Potemkin are given political asylum in Romania — an act of defiance against Russia. In 2021, a sculptor (Alexandru Dabija) wants to create an artwork inspired by the event.

A comedy about art, history, memory, and cinema, The Potemkinists (2022), from the Golden Bear winning director Radu Jude, is a sharp political satire exploring the legacy of communism in Eastern Europe and Romania’s struggle under Soviet Rule.

The Potemkinists (Radu Jude, 2022) – 25th May