Eddie Huang claims his ‘Vice’ documentary shelved over Israeli defense ties protest

Eddie Huang, the filmmaker and author known for “Fresh Off the Boat,” took to Instagram on July 30 to allege that film distributor and streaming platform Mubi has shelved his new documentary “Vice Is Broke” after he refused to promote the film due to Mubi’s reported ties to Israeli military-tech investors.

“Vice Is Broke” is a documentary examining the financial collapse of Vice Media, the impact of private equity on digital journalism and the personal and professional challenges faced by staff. The documentary, which took more than two years to make, includes original interviews with former Vice journalists and executives, behind-the-scenes footage and Huang’s reflections on his time at the company.

In February, Mubi acquired the film for distribution with an initial release planned for August 29, but now remains in limbo as negotiations continue. In a July interview, Huang described the film as “a cautionary tale” about the perils of profit-driven media consolidation and questioned the irony of a platform distributing a film critical of private equity while appearing tied to similar investment sources.

In a video posted to Instagram, Huang said Mubi president Jason Ropell told him the film would not be released unless he and the producers bought it back. “He said ‘You and the producers can buy it back from us if you want, but otherwise nobody’s gonna see the film,’” Huang said.

The filmmaker explained that he would not support a distributor with financial links to Sequoia Capital, which invests in Kela, an Israeli defense technology company. “I did not make ‘Vice Is Broke’ to help fund genocide,” Huang wrote. He added, “I’d rather be financially destitute than morally broke.”

Mubi responded in a public statement that the company has not shelved the documentary and that the release originally set for August 29 remains under discussion. “We’re in constructive discussions with the filmmaker and producers and will share further updates as those conversations progress,” Mubi said. The company noted that investment partners’ beliefs do not represent the company’s own position.