On February 22, 2023, the Mayor and City Commission approved a referral to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee sponsored by Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez to discuss authorizing the City Administration to purchase digital cinema package equipment, which shall remain property of the City, in an amount not to exceed $75,000, for use by O Cinema for the duration of its lease operating the movie theater at City-owned property located at Historic City Hall, 1130 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL.

In 2009, Living Arts Trust, Inc. (d/b/a O Cinema) was established as an arthouse cinema specializing in independent, first-run, foreign, art, and niche market films. Co-founded by independent filmmakers, Vivian Marthell and Kareem Tabsch, O Cinema is the largest independent non-profit cinematic arts organization in South Florida with a mission to advance diversity within the film industry. On July 18, 2019, pursuant to Resolution No. 2019-30827, the City and O Cinema entered into a lease agreement for approximately 2,523 square feet of City-owned property located at 1130 Washington Avenue, first floor south. Said lease having an initial term of five (5) years commencing on August 1, 2019, and ending on July 31, 2024, with two (2) renewal options of two (2) years each, at the City’s option.

O Cinema hosts over 50 screenings per month of award-winning local, national and international films on television, in libraries, theaters, and now, in virtual reality, serving up to 200,000 households at home, while offering neighborhood programs in its 75-seat theater located at Historic City Hall. In addition to hosting regularly scheduled film screenings 365 days per year, O Cinema hosts special events, workshops, and conversations within the African American, Hispanic/Latino, LGBTQ+, and Jewish communities of South Florida. With partners such as Oolite Arts, PBS WPBT Channel 2, SouthArts, The Wolfsonian-FIU, The Wolfsonian, Miami Beach Preservation League, FilmGate Interactive, Barry University, Miami-Dade Public Libraries, TransSOCIAL, National Film Board of Canada, O Cinema ensures that cultural diversity in Miami Beach and throughout South Florida is celebrated on screen.

Traditionally, O Cinema has been limited in their ability to showcase newer films as Regal demanded exclusivity from distributors. In addition, O Cinema lacks the industry standard Digital Cinema Package (DCP) equipment required to show many films from larger distributors.  Up to this point, O Cinema has relied on getting films after their initial release and when (and if) they become available for their current exhibition system. 

Installing the DCP equipment has been a cost-prohibitive investment for O Cinema. Consequently, they reached out to the City to support funding this request. The cost to outfit the theater with DCP equipment is approximately $70,000 (the Project). This Project is currently unfunded. Should the City consider funding and approving the purchase of the Digital Cinema Package, the equipment shall remain the property of the City, and would be available for the use of O Cinema during the term of their lease agreement.

Based on the foregoing, the Administration recommends the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee discuss the purchase of the Digital Cinema Equipment for the use of O Cinema. Should the Committee recommend in favor of this purchase, funding for this request will be submitted through the City’s budget process for review and consideration.