The mayor of Miami Beach, Steven Meiner, is taking significant steps to cut off funding to an independent cinema, O Cinema, following its decision to screen an award-winning documentary that delves into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The cinema, located inside Old City Hall in South Beach, has become a focal point of controversy after it opted to showcase “No Other Land,” a documentary that explores Israeli military actions in the West Bank and has recently won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.
In a newsletter sent to residents on Tuesday, Mayor Meiner described the documentary, produced by both Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, as a “false one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people.” The film documents the Israeli military's forceful displacement of Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta from 2019 to 2023, culminating just before the recent Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza.
Despite its commercial success and critical acclaim, “No Other Land” has faced challenges in securing a U.S. distributor. Producers have indicated that potential distributors hesitate to take on the film due to fears of political backlash associated with its content. The documentary not only highlights the experiences of those affected but also follows the evolving friendship between its directors, Yuval Abraham (an Israeli) and Basel Adra (a Palestinian), as they confront Israeli soldiers executing demolition orders in the region.
On Wednesday, Mayor Meiner introduced a resolution aimed at discontinuing a planned public grant to O Cinema and terminating its lease with a 180-day notice. This resolution is set to be voted on by city commissioners, with implications that could affect the cinema’s operations and its scheduled screenings of “No Other Land.”
In his newsletter, Meiner expressed his dissatisfaction with O Cinema’s decision to reverse its initial cancellation of the film screening, accusing the theater of “normalizing hate” within a publicly funded space. He emphasized his intention to seek a “cultural partner that better aligns with our community values.”
The move by Mayor Meiner has been met with criticism from various quarters, including filmmaker Yuval Abraham, who condemned the proposal as an infringement on free expression. In a statement, Abraham asserted, “What No Other Land exposes about the occupation of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank is so damning that the only strategy left is censorship. It won’t work. Banning a film only makes people more determined to see it.”
After initially announcing a cancellation of the screening due to concerns about antisemitic rhetoric, O Cinema’s CEO, Vivian Marthell, later reaffirmed the decision to proceed with the screening, stating that it was not an endorsement of a political stance but rather a commitment to amplifying diverse voices. Marthell indicated that the cinema has a long history of showcasing Jewish films and is currently hosting a year-long Holocaust film series.
The resolution proposed by Meiner outlines recent financial agreements between the city and O Cinema, amounting to $25,831 and $54,071.52. Although half of these funds have already been disbursed, the resolution indicates that the outstanding amounts would be canceled if the measure passes. The financial implications of this decision raise questions about the future viability of O Cinema amidst these developments.
The situation has ignited a broader debate on the issues of censorship and free expression. Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez criticized Meiner’s actions while also labeling “No Other Land” as a “propaganda-driven, one-sided narrative.” However, she defended O Cinema’s decision to screen the documentary, arguing that “the answer to propaganda is not censorship; it’s truth.”
As the city awaits the outcome of the vote on the resolution, the fate of O Cinema and its screenings of “No Other Land” hangs in the balance, underscoring the challenges independent cinemas face in navigating complex political landscapes.
