In the face of national pressure, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner pulled his proposal to terminate O Cinema’s lease at a city commission meeting Wednesday.
The cinema was targeted by Meiner for its recent screening of the Oscar-winning documentary, “No Other Land.” The proposal, if passed, would have suspended $40,000 in grant funding to the theater.
“I am Jewish, handicapped and fiercely protective of the First Amendment to the Constitution,” said Arnold Lehman, 80, who was a former director of the Brooklyn Museum and disagreed with Meiner. “Public funding for the arts does not allow the government to play the role of censor.”
The proposal received national criticism from publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post, even catching the attention of “No Other Land” director Yuval Abraham.
“When the mayor uses the word ‘antisemitism’ to silence Palestinians and Israelis who proudly oppose occupation and apartheid together, fighting for justice and equality, he is emptying it out of meaning,” Mr. Abraham said in an email to the Times. “I believe that once you see the harsh reality of occupation in Masafer Yatta in the West Bank, it becomes impossible to justify it, and that’s why the mayor is so afraid.”
The commissioners seemed to reject the proposal, with five of them supporting O Cinema, before Meiner withdrew his resolution.
His announcement of the withdrawal was met with claps from the audience and pats on his back by fellow commissioners.
“Even though some of you said some things [that] were hurtful, I love you all,” said Meiner. “We’re all Americans. We’re all proud to be in this country. It is a great country. And I really just want what’s best for us, our city.”
Directed by two Israeli filmmakers, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, and two Palestinian directors, Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal, “No Other Land” depicts the destruction of the occupied West Bank settlement of Masafer Yatta by Israeli soldiers and the alliance that forms between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist.
The film has been praised by critics, but has sparked controversy and struggled to find U.S. distributors.
After its Oscar win, Israeli culture minister Miki Zohar condemned the film on social media.
“The Oscar win for the film ‘No Other Land’ is a sad moment for the world of cinema,” said Zohar. “Freedom of expression is an important value, but turning the defamation of Israel into a tool for international promotion is not art—it is sabotage against the State of Israel, especially in the wake of the October 7 massacre and the ongoing war.”
Many, however, reject the claim that the film is anti-Semitic, viewing it as a necessary commentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Criticism of Israel or depicting life for Palestinians under Israel’s occupation, as the film does, is not antisemitic,” Jenneva Clauss, another Jewish resident of South Florida. “To the contrary, it is an urgent call for justice. Shutting down the film does not erase Israel’s violence, but, rather, preventing the truth from being told enables it.”
Arthouse theaters like O Cinema remain the only venues where the film is being shown.
The controversy began on March 5 when Meiner sent a letter to O Cinema CEO Vivian Marthell urging against the screening of “No Other Land,” calling it an attack on Jewish people and inconsistent with the city’s values.
“Unfortunately, Jews for thousands of years have heard this antisemitic rhetoric,” Meiner wrote. “I am just surprised that O Cinema, utilizing Miami Beach taxpayer funding, would willingly disseminate such hateful propaganda.”
Marthell sent back a letter the next day, initially agreeing to withdraw the film’s scheduled screenings.
“Our intentions are always to bring our community together for meaningful dialogue around cinema,” said Marthell. “This film has exposed a rift which makes us unable to do the thing we’ve always sought to do, which is to foster thoughtful conversations about cinematic works.”
But on March 7, O Cinema reversed its decision and proceeded with the screenings.
Marthell later told the Associated Press in an email that the initial agreement was made under pressure.
“My initial reaction to Mayor Meiner’s threats was made under duress,” said Marthell. “After reflecting on the broader implications for free speech and O Cinema’s mission, I (along with the O Cinema board and staff members) agreed it was critical to screen this acclaimed film.”
On March 11, Meiner filed a measure to the Miami Beach city commission that sought to terminate the city’s relationship with O Cinema by ending the lease of the city-owned facility at Old Town Hall and withdrawing financial support.
O Cinema received an outpour of community support, with its audiences, local organizations and 600 filmmakers stepping up to back the theater.
“We are so lucky to have a theatre like O Cinema in our city that has a deep commitment to showing a range of films that makes visible the lives and experiences of our many communities and doesn’t shy away from topics that are so critical to deepen our humanity,” said Miami resident Ken Barnes, who is part of the “Jewish Voices for Peace South Florida” organization.
He adds: “Shame on the Mayor for wanting to take that opportunity from our City.”
Filmmakers from all over the world signed an open letter in support of O Cinema, critiquing Meiner’s actions as unconstitutional and censorship.
Among the signatures were Miami-born “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins and documentary filmmaker Michael Moore.
“We as filmmakers invite critical discussion of any film, but your decision to punish O Cinema for screening ‘No Other Land’ is an attack on freedom of expression, the right of artists to tell their stories, and a violation of the First Amendment,” their letter reads. “It is also an offense to the people of Miami Beach, and Greater Miami as a whole, who deserve to have access to a diverse range of films and perspectives.”
Now, with the legislation withdrawn, O Cinema can continue to be an educational hub for community members and encourage people to come together.
Commissioner Joseph Magazine shared his opinion of Meiner’s proposal at the meeting.
“I wholeheartedly support our Jewish community and I’ll continue to work hard in ensuring Miami Beach remains the safest, most welcoming,” said Magazine. “And I’ll also steadfastly support the right to free speech. Let’s be clear, those things are not mutually exclusive.”
The theater shows of the film have sold out for Wednesday and Thursday.
