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Friday, May 09, 2025
Outside the box.
Miami Beach Mayor Retracts Plan to Displace Cinema Due to Documentary Screening
The debate over the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land ignites discussions about free speech and censorship in Miami Beach, prompting the mayor to retract his earlier plan to revoke the cinema's lease and funding.
The mayor of Miami Beach has retracted his proposal to terminate the lease and prevent funding for a small cinema following its screening of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land.
This decision came after a week of controversy, during which residents filled city hall to voice their opinions, and city commissioners concurred that censorship, eviction, and defunding of O Cinema were not viable solutions.
Mayor Steven Meiner had originally put forth the proposal, expressing concerns that the documentary was 'one-sided', 'inaccurate', 'antisemitic', and constituted a 'propaganda assault' on the Jewish community.
However, after listening to feedback from commissioners and residents, he decided to withdraw the proposal and pursue dialogue with O Cinema instead.
The documentary, which depicts the story of a community overtaken by Israeli forces, has faced challenges in securing a distributor in the US, leading to its self-distribution.
It won the Oscar for best documentary feature earlier this month.
O Cinema's co-founders remained steadfast in their decision to screen the film, with CEO Vivian Marthell asserting that it represents 'the fundamental right of free expression, artistic integrity, and the role of independent cinemas in our community'.
The cinema has received support from the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Coalition Against Censorship, and various filmmakers, who argue that the mayor's proposal constitutes an assault on freedom of expression.
More than 700 members of the international film-making community signed an open letter urging the mayor to retract his proposal, including Miami-born director Barry Jenkins and Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei.
This incident has ignited a broader discussion about censorship and artistic freedom in Miami Beach, with some asserting that it establishes a troubling precedent for art organizations and artists.
Recently, there have been multiple instances of art and artists facing backlash for works labeled 'antisemitic' or for protesting against the war in Gaza, which includes the removal of a portrait of Palestinian American scholar Edward Said and the dismantling of an artwork that subtly referenced the phrase 'from the river to the sea'.
This decision came after a week of controversy, during which residents filled city hall to voice their opinions, and city commissioners concurred that censorship, eviction, and defunding of O Cinema were not viable solutions.
Mayor Steven Meiner had originally put forth the proposal, expressing concerns that the documentary was 'one-sided', 'inaccurate', 'antisemitic', and constituted a 'propaganda assault' on the Jewish community.
However, after listening to feedback from commissioners and residents, he decided to withdraw the proposal and pursue dialogue with O Cinema instead.
The documentary, which depicts the story of a community overtaken by Israeli forces, has faced challenges in securing a distributor in the US, leading to its self-distribution.
It won the Oscar for best documentary feature earlier this month.
O Cinema's co-founders remained steadfast in their decision to screen the film, with CEO Vivian Marthell asserting that it represents 'the fundamental right of free expression, artistic integrity, and the role of independent cinemas in our community'.
The cinema has received support from the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Coalition Against Censorship, and various filmmakers, who argue that the mayor's proposal constitutes an assault on freedom of expression.
More than 700 members of the international film-making community signed an open letter urging the mayor to retract his proposal, including Miami-born director Barry Jenkins and Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei.
This incident has ignited a broader discussion about censorship and artistic freedom in Miami Beach, with some asserting that it establishes a troubling precedent for art organizations and artists.
Recently, there have been multiple instances of art and artists facing backlash for works labeled 'antisemitic' or for protesting against the war in Gaza, which includes the removal of a portrait of Palestinian American scholar Edward Said and the dismantling of an artwork that subtly referenced the phrase 'from the river to the sea'.
