[crucialfelix]

This is also our major issue with MUBI. We love the film selection, but we live in Germany. When we want to watch a French film, its overdubbed in German.

Netflix is also odd about this but usually we can get German subtitles for any film and choose the audio with original language. Ideally we should be able to select any language that there are available subtitles for. Why restrict it by region ?

[NolF]

The producers likely have distribution agreements on a by-country basis. So, for example WB cannot distribute <movie> in Germany because GEMA has the rights. But GEMA didn't buy the rights for the English subtitles. I imagine technically WB could then sell subtitles rights for <movie> in Germany but it would be a pain because maybe those subtitles were done by <subcompany> for licence in America and Oceania... etc.

[crucialfelix]

GEMA is a collection society for musical performing and mechanical reproduction rights. Equivalent to BMI / ASCAP. They have nothing to do with films.

They certainly do not buy rights for anything at all. They represent copyright holders and collect fees and distribute them.