Saturday night on Lincoln Road, I attended the South Beach Film Festival alongside my dear friend Cuba Gooding Jr., the Academy Award-winning actor whose career began on stage before going on to appear in more than 100 films. While much of the area felt unusually quiet, there was still something meaningful happening: local filmmakers, artists, residents, and community supporters gathering around an outdoor screen to create something authentic for Miami Beach.
It was not some giant corporate activation or manufactured influencer event. It was grassroots culture, real people building real programming for the community. Too often, local politics only seems interested in large outside productions, luxury branding 
events, and whatever creates the biggest social or political photo-op, while homegrown creative efforts are treated like an afterthought.
But real culture does not start at the top. It starts locally through artists, filmmakers, students, working crews, small venues, and communities willing to support creativity before the rest of the world notices.
That is one of the reasons I introduced the Florida Film Legacy License Plate legislation, creating a mechanism to help support Florida film, festivals, education, workforce development, and the next generation of creatives right here at home. Florida has the talent, history, locations, and workforce to rebuild a thriving film and creative industry, but that only happens if we start investing again in local culture and the people behind it.
And in a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence, algorithms, and digital isolation, genuine human interaction and shared cultural experiences are becoming more valuable than ever.
What I saw Saturday night reminded me that despite all the noise and over-commercialization, there are still people in this community proudly fighting to preserve something real.
And that is worth supporting.
Op-ed: State Rep. Fabián Basabe on supporting Florida’s film industry added by Ladra on
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Per Ladra: “This primary is no snoozer, but it is just an opening act for the main attraction. Because whoever gets out of August will face State Rep. Fabián Basabe, a one-time Manhattan party boy turned high-profile freshman in the legislature after he won a very close race in 2022 (by 245 votes!). He has since become known in Florida political circles for repeated headlines involving allegations of erratic behavior, harassment claims and personal drama. Those include accusations from former aides of sexual harassment and inappropriate comments, allegations that he slapped a legislative aide, prior arrests and disorderly conduct incidents, and stories about confrontations at Miami Beach hotels and events.
He has denied many of the allegations or characterized them as politically motivated.
“Every investigation, ethics complaint, and third party review resulted in nofidings against me and no corroboration of the claims,” Basabe texted Ladra, obviously oblivious to how much that is not a flex.
But last year, he interrupted a rally to protect a rainbow crosswalk in Miami Beach and called it “fake outrage.”
In Miami political gossip culture, Basabe is often described as a kind of hybrid of “South Beach socialite turned culture-war Republican lawmaker.”
It is rare to see and hear a politician that identifies and prioritizes foundationally right principles and is not afraid to offend powers that be in advocating for those principles.
Congratulations to Fabian Basabe, a man whose intelligent leadership is so needed especially in the City of Miami Beach.
Billy Corben is a local filmmaker. He has won many awards. He lives on Miami Beach, I believe. Lately, he has been investigating corruption in Miami. He has made many well researched presentations at Miami and at Miami Beach Commission meetings. It is fun watching Billy bring facts and figures to those venues. Elected officials order policemen to stand by him as he talks as they think they can intimidate him.
Fabian is a true friend of Floridians and he always supports common-sense legislation.
We should support the film industry, but without giving away subsidies or tax credits.
Of course you’ll go to Tallahassee and sell out to the far right, just like you always do. Hypocrite!