MUBI Fest is coming to Manchester - here's everything you need to know

Gasoline Rainbow (2023). Directed by the Ross Brothers.

The first ever MUBI Fest is taking place in Manchester this year, with a special screening of the city’s very own Naqqash Jhalid’s debut feature, In Camera. 

The first-ever MUBI FEST in the UK is being held in Bad Gal Film Club’s home turf of Manchester this year. The two-day festival, helmed by the streaming service and distributor, will celebrate the latest and greatest in contemporary cinema and culture. 

The festival is being held at nine locations across the world this year, including Mexico City (July 12-14), São Paulo (July 26-28), Chicago (August 17-18), Bogotá (September 6-8), Buenos Aires (September 12-15), Santiago (October 3-6), Istanbul (November 7-10) and Milan (December 13-15), with cinephiles in the UK flocking to the Aviva Studios at Factory International across Friday 12 and Saturday 13 July. 

Three of this year’s most exciting releases - sadly there won’t be any women on this year’s director lineup - will be screened at Factory International, including the Ross Brothers’ (45365 and Tchoupitoulas) latest film, Gasoline Rainbow, a joyous road trip and true coming-of-age story about five teenagers from inland Oregon who pile into a van on a mission to reach the Pacific coast five hundred miles away. 

There will also be a screening of Levan Akin’s Georgian drama, Crossing, on the opening night. The Swedish director’s latest film is a moving and tender tale of identity, acceptance, and unlikely connection that transcends borders and generations. Lia, a retired school teacher living in Georgia, crosses the border to Turkey to reconnect with her estranged niece Tekla, who left Georgia after transitioning. Accompanied by a young neighbour Achi, the unlikely pair explore the hidden depths of Istanbul with the help of trans lawyer and activist Evrim. 

Crossing premiered at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival and won the prestigious Teddy Award, the top prize for an LGBTQ+ film. It received its UK premiere at BFI Flare and the film will be released in cinemas nationwide from July 19. 

Manchester’s very own director and writer Naqqash Khalid’s debut feature, In Camera, will also be screening at Factory International. Shot in Manchester, In Camera stars Nabhan Rizwan as Aden, a British-Asian twenty-something with dreams of becoming a successful actor. Aden spends most of his time recording self-tapes for parts he never gets. After he receives multiple rejections for a series of nightmarish commercial auditions, he takes it upon himself to find a new part to play. Khalid’s playful and poignant film is a sharp critique of the British film industry. 

In Camera (2023). Directed by Naqqash Khalid.

Each screening will be followed by a director Q&A, alongside panel talks, workshops, installations, food and talks, as well as DJs till late.

Access to MUBI FEST is free and includes all talks, workshops, and DJ sets, with tickets for film screenings costing £8 per person. For more information, visit www.factoryinternational.org.