Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner is seeking to terminate the lease of O Cinema, an independent theatre, and withdraw $40,000 in city grants after it screened the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land.

Mayor Meiner described the film as "a false one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people that is not consistent with the values of our City and residents", labelling it "egregiously antisemitic" in a newsletter.

He continued, “I am a staunch believer in free speech. But normalizing hate and then disseminating antisemitism in a facility owned by the taxpayers of Miami Beach… is unjust to the values of our city and residents and should not be tolerated.”

The documentary, directed by Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, including Yuval Abraham and Basel Adra, depicts the Israeli military's demolition of Palestinian villages in the West Bank.

In response to the mayor's actions, Abraham took to social media to criticise the misuse of antisemitism accusations to suppress opposition, stating that the "mayor uses the word antisemitism to silence us", calling such censorship "dangerous." He added, "It won’t work. Banning a film only makes people more determined to see it."

Despite pressure from the mayor, the independent cinema has continued screening the film and is now completely sold out for all remaining showings, even after adding additional dates. O Cinema's CEO, Vivian Marthell, defended the decision to screen the documentary, emphasizing the theatre's commitment to free speech.

She told the Miami Herald: “But let me be clear: our decision to screen No Other Land is not a declaration of political alignment. It is, however, a bold reaffirmation of our fundamental belief that every voice deserves to be heard, even, and perhaps especially, when it challenges us.”

Despite its critical acclaim, the film struggled to secure mainstream U.S. distribution. The filmmakers instead opted for a self-distribution in partnership with Cinetic Media, facilitating theatrical bookings.

Front Row Filmed Entertainment recently secured Middle East and North Africa (MENA) distribution rights for the documentary, further expanding its global reach following its Oscar win.

Since its premiere, No Other Land has won 68 film festival and annual award prizes, including the European Film Awards, the Boston Society of Film Critics’ Awards, and the Gotham Independent Film Awards.

Civil rights organisations, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, have condemned Mayor Meiner’s actions as unconstitutional and an attempt at censorship. The Miami Beach City Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposed lease termination next Wednesday, March 19.

Irish viewers can stream the film now from the Channel 4 website.