Miami Beach Mayor vs. Indie Theater 

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O Cinema South Beach, a nonprofit independent theater, is facing potential funding cuts from Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner after screening No Other Land, a controversial, Oscar-winning documentary. The film, by Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, chronicles the struggles of Palestinian families in the West Bank against Israeli military occupation.

Meiner, calling the documentary "anti-semitic," sent a letter demanding O Cinema cancel its screenings, citing Miami Beach’s strong support for Israel. He criticized the film as "one-sided propaganda" and proposed revoking the theater’s lease and withholding city grants. The Miami Beach City Commission will vote on this proposal next Wednesday.

Despite pressure, O Cinema has continued showing No Other Land, with all screenings sold out. Kareem Tabsch, co-founder of O Cinema, sees the mayor’s actions as censorship. "We’ve always screened films sparking strong opinions, but we’ve never faced elected officials dictating our programming. That’s new," he told NPR.

Initially, O Cinema’s CEO, Vivian Marthell, agreed to halt screenings but later reconsidered, citing free speech concerns. "Our decision isn’t political—it’s about the importance of every voice being heard," she said.

For years, O Cinema has hosted the Miami Jewish Film Festival, screening films on Jewish history, including the Holocaust. Tabsch, a filmmaker himself, worries about the wider implications. "When officials dictate what can be shown, we risk losing our democratic values," he warns.

O Cinema remains committed to its mission of independent storytelling as Miami Beach’s only art house cinema. The mayor has not responded to NPR’s request for comment.

Source: NPR News

Background:

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner is seeking to terminate the lease and cut funding for O Cinema, an independent theater, following its screening of the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land"13. The film, directed by a Palestinian-Israeli collective, focuses on the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank12.

Mayor Meiner has introduced a resolution describing the film as antisemitic and inconsistent with the city's values1. He initially reached out to O Cinema CEO Vivian Marthell to discourage the screening, citing Miami Beach's high concentration of Jewish residents1.

Despite initially agreeing to halt the screening, O Cinema proceeded with sold-out showings13. Marthell explained that the decision to screen the film was made after reflecting on free speech implications and the cinema's mission1.

The Miami Beach City Commission will discuss the mayor's resolution on Wednesday, March 19, 202513. If approved, it would terminate O Cinema's lease for a theater space in a city-owned building and end approximately $40,000 in grants to the nonprofit3.

O Cinema co-founder Kareem Tabsch stated that the organization is prepared to pursue all avenues to continue operating in Miami Beach3. The situation has raised concerns about free speech and tenant protections, with experts suggesting that the First Amendment may not necessarily protect O Cinema from eviction3.

The controversy surrounding "No Other Land" extends beyond Miami Beach. The film has faced criticism from both pro-Israeli factions and some pro-Palestinian activists24. While Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar accused the film of defaming Israel, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) criticized it for allegedly violating boycott guidelines24.

Despite the controversy, supporters of the film, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), have urged U.S. distributors to make it available to American audiences2.

Posted
AuthorLitangen
CategoriesCensorship in Arts
TagsO Cinema South Beach, No Other Land, Miami Beach Mayor