MUBI: our pick of the best films coming in July from The Beast to Dammi
There’s no doubt that MUBI has carved out a niche spot for itself in the ever-competitive streaming marketplace. There really are few better places online to hunt down exquisite arthouse and independent films – and its collection ranges from old favourites such as Argento’s 1977 horror Suspiria, to newer releases such as Alice Diop’s Saint Omer.
In July, another selection of exciting films will be released on the site. From interesting shorts to eye-opening documentaries, here’s our pick of the best films coming to MUBI this month – and, even better, Evening Standard readers can get 30 days of MUBI free.
Crossing the Bridge – The Sound of Istanbul (Akin, 2005) – July 5
Award-winning Turkish director Fatih Akin introduces us to Istanbul through its eclectic music scene, with delightful results. Guided and narrated by German musician Alexander Hacke, he captures rappers, indie rock bands, Arabesque musicians and extraordinary singers – all of whom are fascinating characters.
Lilting (Khaou, 2014) – July 5
A delicate film about loss and love, Lilting tells the story of Richard (Ben Whishaw), a gay man who reaches out to the Cambodian-Chinese mother of his late partner, processing his grief. But without a complete picture of her son, she finds it difficult to understand his sudden appearance.
Hoard (Carmoon, 2023) – July 5
Released as part of a series titled British Debuts, Luna Carmoon’s first feature-length film, a meditation on trauma, tells the story of Maria, a young woman coming to terms with her childhood with her difficult mother, who had a hoarding habit. As a young adult, now living with a foster mother, Maria still carries some of the madness with her. She forms a complicated relationship with her foster brother Michael (Joseph Quinn).
The Beast (Bonello, 2023) – July 12
Hurrah, you can now watch and rewatch Bertrand Bonello’s The Beast from home. Starring the sublime Léa Seydoux alongside George MacKay, the sci-fi romance asks questions about the value of human emotion in a not-so-distant AI-dominated future. Seydoux’s character, Gabrielle, opts to undergo a procedure which rids her of emotional trauma. She wants to get a better job and it’s holding her back, so she visits her past lives (in 1910 and in 2014) to face her demons. Described by the Standard as “spellbinding and suffocating”, it’s an aesthetically gorgeous thrill-ride.
Crimes of the Future (Cronenberg, 2022) – July 12
Body horror director Cronenberg explores the possibilities and dangers of biotechnology in this hypnotic sci-fi drama starring Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. Mortensen and Seydoux are artists who perform surgeries as a double act; human bodies now, horrendously, produce mutant organs and the spectacle is something some people want to look at. Described by the Standard as “barking” this dark comedy is not for the faint-hearted.
Dammi (Demange, 2023) – July 12
In this semi-autobiographical short from Yann Demange (who directed 2011’s Top Boy), Riz Ahmed stars as a French-British man who returns to Paris to see his estranged father. As he travels around the city, he struggles with his memories. Isabelle Adjani and Dune’s Souheila Yacoub also star.
