(MIAMI)—PEN America said today it is “blatantly unconstitutional” for Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner to propose that O Cinema’s lease be terminated over the screening of a documentary film about the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, No Other Land, to which Meiner objects.
Katie Blankenship, PEN America’s Florida director, said: “This effort to censor films is beyond the pale of acceptable governmental action in a democracy, and is blatantly unconstitutional. Politicians do not get to tell theaters what movies they can show just because they disagree with a film’s message. Cultural spaces must be free to make their own choices of what to present to audiences, without political interference. Threatening the lease of O Cinema will not only impact this film; it will deny audiences in South Florida the opportunity to access a range of films and programs on diverse subjects.”
Julie Trébault, executive director of the Artists at Risk Connection, added: “This attempt to silence artistic expression is dangerous overreach that undermines democracy, threatens cultural institutions, and robs audiences of their right to make their own choices. This is not only about one film, it’s about protecting the right of communities to engage with art that questions, critiques, and imagines a better future. We must fight against escalating attacks on creative, political, and intellectual freedom and ensure that artistic expression remains free, fearless, and uncompromising.”
The 2024 film by a Palestinian-Israeli collective shows the destruction of the West Bank’s Masafer Yatta—Palestinian hamlets in the southern area—by Israeli soldiers and the alliance that develops between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, STrimel@PEN.org, (201) 247-5057