The mayor of Miami Beach has introduced a resolution to revoke the lease of an art house cinema that is screening a documentary about the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank. The film, “No Other Land,” won the Academy Award for best documentary but has not been acquired by traditional distributors for release.
The filmmaker and owner of O Cinema, Kareem Tabsch, said the threat of losing its physical location was grave and they took it seriously. He described the film as thought-provoking and said their responsibility is to present works that foster dialogue without government interference.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida criticized the mayor’s move, saying it was a blatant attempt by the government to punish those who express views that disagree with them. The ACLU also noted that funding a theater means funding an environment of artistic freedom.
The film was made by two Israeli and two Palestinian filmmakers and its fate reflects the commercial struggles faced by documentaries. The filmmakers are distributing the movie themselves at several dozen theaters.
Critics, including Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, condemned the mayor’s action and described it as an attempt to silence Palestinians and Israelis who oppose occupation and apartheid. They argued that the film should be seen for what it is – a harsh reality of occupation in the West Bank.
The cinema’s website shows that all four showings of “No Other Land” next week are sold out, indicating strong demand for the screening. The city commission will decide whether to pass the resolution and revoke tens of thousands of dollars in grant funding.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/movies/miami-beach-mayor-israeli-palestinian-film.html