Miami Beach Mayor Moves to Cut Ties with Theater Over Palestinian Documentary
The mayor has proposed ending the lease and funding for O Cinema after it screened the Oscar-winning film 'No Other Land,' which he described as antisemitic.
- The documentary 'No Other Land,' which highlights Palestinian displacement in the West Bank, recently won the Oscar for Best Documentary but has faced criticism for alleged antisemitic rhetoric.
- Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner has proposed terminating O Cinema's lease and cutting $40,000 in city funding after the theater continued screenings of the film despite his objections.
- O Cinema, which has a history of showcasing Jewish films and hosting Holocaust-related programming, defended the screenings as a commitment to free expression and fostering dialogue.
- Critics, including the ACLU of Florida, argue that the mayor's actions violate constitutional protections of free speech and could lead to costly legal challenges for the city.
- All screenings of 'No Other Land' at O Cinema are sold out, and a virtual town hall has been scheduled to discuss the mayor's proposed resolution.