Mubi Fest returned to Chicago this weekend, presenting a carefully curated selection of independent and arthouse films as part of a global festival series. Now in its third year in the city, Chicago remains the sole North American host for the event, which first launched internationally in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2022. Since then, Mubi has expanded the festival to 10 countries worldwide, showcasing a mix of new releases, anniversary screenings, and notable films from past festivals.
The 2026 edition of Mubi Fest centers on the theme “Better Together,” emphasizing cinematic pairings where each film either complements or contrasts with its counterpart. Lilly Riber, Mubi’s chief marketing officer, described the festival’s concept as an opportunity to explore how films reflect and complicate one another within shared programs.
Among the highlighted repertory screenings were anniversary presentations of several acclaimed films: a 10th anniversary sing-along of “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” 25th anniversaries of “Ocean’s Eleven” and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” as well as the 40th anniversary of “The Fly.” The cult classic slasher “Sleepaway Camp” from 1983 also featured in the lineup. Each of these titles was paired thematically with contemporary or related films, including “Lurker,” “The Mastermind,” “Rosebush Pruning,” “The Substance,” and “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” though not all pairings were screened consecutively in the same venues.
The festival included Chicago premieres of two notable films. “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” a horror film set for national theatrical release on August 7, quickly sold out its screening. The film’s director, Jane Schoenbrun, returned with “I Saw the TV Glow,” a 2024 horror-themed narrative featuring a young filmmaker, played by Hannah Einbinder, interacting with an aged slasher franchise “Final Girl” character, portrayed by Gillian Anderson. Karim Aïnouza’s “Rosebush Pruning,” a tense family drama set against a natural backdrop of cliffs and wolf packs, also had its Chicago premiere ahead of its July 24 theatrical release.
Screenings on 35mm film included “Lurker,” a psychologically intense exploration of young male fandom in Los Angeles, directed by Chicago native Alex Russell. Known for his writing on television series such as “The Bear” and “Beef,” Russell participated in a Q&A session at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
Mubi emphasized fostering community through in-person events alongside film viewings. On Saturday, the Mubi Market operated for free at The Salt Shed Outdoors, where vendors specializing in vintage records, horror-themed coffee, collectibles, and historical printed materials gathered to engage festival attendees.
Additional festival highlights included “The Substance,” a 2024 body horror film by Coralie Fargeat that satirizes societal obsessions with female beauty through a narrative involving cloning and grotesque bodily transformations. Attendees received specially designed scratch-and-sniff cards timed with the film’s scenes. “The Mastermind,” a 2025 film starring Josh O’Connor, dramatized a 1970 theft of artwork in Massachusetts and featured a live musical performance of its score by Chicago jazz figure Rob Mazurek at the Music Box Theatre. “Monster,” directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and honored with a Gold Q-Hugo award at the 2023 Chicago International Film Festival, depicted the intertwined lives of two fifth graders grappling with personal and community tragedies.
Through its program and ancillary events, Mubi Fest 2026 aimed to reconnect audiences with the shared experience of cinema while highlighting innovative and diverse voices in contemporary film.