Mubi CEO Efe Cakarel called Lance Oppenheim’s “Primetime” opening, reported at $20 million, “incredible,” citing younger viewers of a story he said might seem aimed at older audiences. At Zurich Summit, he urged the industry to fund bold films and seek their audiences.
Cakarel cited his 14-year-old son’s choice to attend a cinema screening of Kane Parsons’ “Backrooms” with a post-screening Q&A instead of a family dinner. He said independent, bold storytelling accounted for much of the box-office success over the past 24 months, though its audience is not a majority of households.
Cakarel said Mubi took 15 years to grow from zero to 40 employees, then four more years to exceed 400. He said the company’s growth was intended to build the capital and capabilities to finance and globally distribute films. He described 2023 and 2024 as “phenomenal,” 2025 as “slower,” and this year as “incredible.”
