Etz Limon (2008)

Réalisateur:

Eran Riklis

Scénaristes:

Suha Arraf (writer)
Eran Riklis (writer)

Date de sortie:

27 mars 2008 (Israel)

Genre:

Drame

Intrigue:

The story of a Palestinian widow who must defend her lemontree field when a new Israeli Defense Minister moves next to her and threatens to have her lemon grove torn down. |

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Male Female Relationship | Hypocrisy | Supreme Court | Defence Minister

Récompenses:

3 wins & 9 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

If you cut down a lemon grove, what is left?

Ensemble

Hiam Abbass	...	Salma Zidane
Doron Tavory	...	Defense Minister Israel Navon
Ali Suliman	...	Ziad Daud
Rona Lipaz-Michael	...	Mira Navon
Tarik Kopty	...	Abu Hussam
Amos Lavi	...	Commander Jacob (as Amos Lavie)
Amnon Wolf	...	Leibowitz
Smadar Jaaron	...	Tamar Gera (as Smadar Yaaron)
Danny Leshman	...	Private Itamar aka Quickie
Hili Yalon	...	Sigi Navon
reste de la distribution par ordre alphabétique:
Linon Banares	...	Gilad
Jamil Khoury	...	Son-in-Law
Makram Khoury	...	Abu Kamal (as Makram J. Khoury)
Yair Lapid	...	Himself - the TV presenter
Loai Nofi	...	Nasser Zidane
Ayelet Robinson	...	Shelly
Einat Saruf	...	Herself - Singing at the party
Michael Warshaviak	...	Braverman - the attorney
Lana Zreik	...	Laila

Autre(s) titre(s):

Lemon Tree (Germany) (International: English title)
Les citronniers (France)
Shajarat limon (Israel: Arabic title)

Durée:

Germany:106 min (Berlin International Film Festival) | Argentina:106 min | USA:106 min

Pays:

Israel | Allemagne | France

Langue:

Arabe | Hébreu | Français | Anglais

Couleur:

Couleur

Rapport de forme:

1,85 : 1

Son:

Dolby Digital

Classification:

Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:7 | Taiwan:GP | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:6 | Ireland:PG | Germany:6 (f) | UK:PG | France:U | Australia:G | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (British Columbia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Mexico:A

Lieux de tournage:

Djelazoun, West Bank, Israel

Société:

Eran Riklis Productions

Guillemet:

Title Card: [last title card]
[after the end credits]
Title Card: Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

Connexions De Film:

Références "Yair Lapid" (2000)

Bande son:

Lemon Tree

If you cut down a lemon grove, what is left?

Etz Limon (2008) directed by Eran Riklis, was shown in the United States with the title "Lemon Tree." (Don't confuse the film with a popular novel that has the same title.) The plot of the story is simple enough. The Israeli defense minister moves into a home located right next to a lemon grove owned by a Palestinian woman. Israeli security agents decide that the grove presents a hazard to the minister and his wife, and declare that the lemon trees must be destroyed. The Palestinian woman fights the destruction of her livelihood and her legacy.

Although the basic plot of "Lemon Tree" is simple, the movie is complex. There are fascinating interactions between the woman--Salma Zidane, played by the incomparable Hiam Abbass--and her lawyer and her children. The defense minister has a edgy relationship with his wife. (His wife is basically a fair and caring woman, and isn't supportive of the grove's destruction, but she also likes being married to a powerful, charismatic public figure.) The defense minister is obviously very close to a beautiful young aide, and the movie suggests that they're having an affair.

Although the film is clearly sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, all of the Palestinians aren't portrayed as perfect individuals. One local Palestinian leader doesn't suggest any course of action for Salma, but warns her not to accept compensation from the Israelis. Refusal to accept compensation probably makes sense as a political strategy. However, without compensation, what options are open to a widow whose sole livelihood is taken from her?

To me, the saddest part of the movie was the failure of Salma and the minister's wife Mira (Rona Lipaz-Michael) to ever meet face to face. On several occasions in the film they almost meet, but the meeting never actually takes place. Symbolically, that failure to communicate on a personal level represents the Israeli-Palestinian dilemma. They are figuratively and literally unable to speak to each other, and therefore they can never move beyond stereotypes and hostility.

We saw this film at the excellent Rochester Jewish Film Festival. However, it would work well on the small screen. It's an extraordinary film, and definitely worth seeking out.