London’s independent film scene is getting another reason to head to the cinema this autumn. From November 13–15, MUBI Fest makes its London debut at Hackney Picturehouse, bringing together some of the year’s most intriguing new films, cult favorites, and a series of events celebrating cinema beyond the screen.
Organized by the streaming platform and film distributor MUBI, the three-day festival mixes exclusive previews with anniversary screenings, filmmaker Q&As, live music, and conversations about contemporary cinema.
Opening night features Rose, Markus Schleinzer’s period drama starring Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), followed by a conversation with the director. Another major highlight is Minotaur, the latest psychological thriller from Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev (Leviathan, Loveless), which explores moral corruption and personal crisis against the backdrop of contemporary Russia.
Belgian director Lukas Dhont (Close) brings Coward, a queer romance set during World War I, while Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers) closes the festival with A Long Winter, a drama about loss and belonging set in 1950s Colorado. For those drawn to more experimental filmmaking, Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron offers an intimate exploration of family memory, while Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma adds a contemporary horror edge to the program.
The festival also makes room for established favorites. Nicolas Winding Refn’s neon-soaked Drive celebrates its 15th anniversary, followed by Underscore, a music and art event organized with Crack Magazine. Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko returns in a restored edition, while Park Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden marks its tenth anniversary.
Elsewhere, a 50th-anniversary screening of Horace Ové’s groundbreaking Pressure revisits a landmark of Black British cinema, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall brings the Geese frontman’s solo performance to the big screen.
Beyond the screenings, visitors can explore the MUBI Library, attend discussions, and discover short films. With a program that moves comfortably between arthouse cinema, cult nostalgia, and contemporary music culture, MUBI Fest feels particularly well suited to Hackney’s scene.
MUBI Fest London runs November 13–15, 2026, at Hackney Picturehouse. Tickets and the full program are available through the official festival website.
