MUBI to Stream Chloé Zhao’s Directorial Debut from April 9

Digital streaming platform MUBI, headquartered in London, is dedicated to bringing critically acclaimed titles to its users. A press release by MUBI revealed that he latest addition to their list of handpicked films is Chloé Zhao’s Songs My Brother Taught Me, which will be available for streaming from April 9.

Before Zhao bagged six Oscar nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards for Nomadland, she began her directorial journey with Songs My Brother Taught Me. Premiering at Sundance Film Festival in 2015 and then Cannes Film Festival, Zhao’s directorial debut is the story of a teenage Johnny and his younger sister Jashuan who belong to South Dakota’s Pine Ridge reservation. When their father suddenly passes away, the two siblings are left to navigate their lives alone.

Their bond it tested and their family is desolate- their older brother is in jail and their mother is distant. The film is a moving narrative of the hardships of the two Lakota Sioux siblings who are are grappling the harsh terrains of their town, rife with alcoholism and poverty. When Johnny finds an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and start a new life, he is faced with the choice of leaving Jashaun behind, never to see her again. Zhao’s Songs My Brother Taught Me is a beautiful and accurate portrayal of the marginalised community that is destitute.

Songs My Brother Taught Me can be streamed on MUBI from April 9. MUBI, the global streaming service, is available in 190 countries. Their catalogue is inspired by films that depict local cultures and cinema.

With 10 million members across the world, MUBI also produces and theatrically distributes films by a variety of filmmakers. MUBI was founded by Efe Cakarel in 2007. The idea for the platform came to him when he was sitting in a cafe in Tokyo, unable to watch In The Mood For Love.