The mayor of Miami Beach, Florida, wants to terminate a lease and cut financial support for an independent film theater that screened an Oscar-winning documentary about the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
Mayor Steven Meiner introduced a resolution describing the film "No Other Land" as antisemitic. City commissioners will discuss the resolution Wednesday during their next meeting.
"No Other Land" opened March 7 at O Cinema, located at the Miami Beach Historic City Hall. Meiner had reached out several days before the premiere to discourage O Cinema CEO Vivian Marthell from showing the film.
"The City of Miami Beach has one of the highest concentrations of Jewish residents in the United States," Meiner, who is Jewish, wrote in his letter to Marthell. "The 'No Other Land' film is a one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people that is not consistent with the values of our City and residents."
Marthell initially agreed not to screen the movie in a response to Meiner, but the showing went on as scheduled.
"My initial reaction to Mayor Meiner's threats was made under duress," Marthell wrote in an email Thursday. "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."
O Cinema has always been committed to sharing films that not only entertain, but also challenge, educate and inspire meaningful dialogue, Marthell said.
"We understand the power of cinema to tell stories that matter, and we recognize that some stories — especially those rooted in real-world conflicts — can evoke strong feelings and passionate reactions. As they should," Marthell said. "Our decision to screen 'No Other Land' is not a declaration of political alignment. It is a bold reaffirmation of our fundamental belief that every voice deserves to be heard."
In December and January, the city of Miami Beach executed two grants worth about $80,000 for O Cinema, according to the mayor's proposed resolution. About half the money has been paid, but the resolution would stop the rest. The city began leasing space to O Cinema in 2019, with the ability to terminate the contract with 180 days of notice, which is what Meiner is seeking to do.
"No Other Land," which was shot between 2019 and 2023 and released last year, was directed by a group of Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers: Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
"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," Abraham wrote in an email. "I find that to be very dangerous."
The film documents the destruction of Palestinian villages in the West Bank by the Israeli military. It won the Academy Award for best documentary feature, as well as other awards.
Although the film has earned wide praise from film critics, it has also drawn controversy.
"Freedom of expression is an important value, but defamation of Israel into a tool for international promotion is not art," Israeli culture minister Miki Zohar wrote in a social media post.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.