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Product Description
Salma, a Palestinian widow, has to stand up against her new neighbour, the Israeli Defense Minister, when he moves into his new house opposite her lemon grove, on the green line border between Israel and the West Bank. The Israeli security forces are quick to declare that Salma s trees pose a threat to the Minister s safety and issue orders to uproot them. Together with Ziad Daud, her young Palestinian lawyer, Salma goes all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court to try and save her trees. Her struggle raises the interest of Mira Navon, the Defense minister s wife, who is trapped in her new home and in an unhappy life. Despite their differences and the borders between them the two women develop an invisible bond, while forbidden ties grow stronger between Salma and Ziad. Salma s legal and personal journey lead her deep into the complex, dark and sometimes funny chaos of the ongoing struggle in the Middle East, in which all players find themselves alone in their struggle to survive.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: Arabic ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Hebrew ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Salma, a Palestinian widow - living there for decades - , has to stand up against her new neighbor, the Israeli Defense Minister, when he moves into his new house opposite her lemon grove, on the green line border between Israel and the West Bank. The Israeli security forces are quick to declare that Salma's trees pose a threat to the Ministers safety and issue orders to uproot them. Together with Ziad Daud, a young Palestinian lawyer, Salma goes all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court to try and save her trees. Her struggle raises the interest of Mira Navon, the Defense ministers wife, trapped in her new home and in an unhappy life. Despite their differences and the borders between them the two women develop an invisible bond, while forbidden ties grow stronger between Salma and Ziad. Salmas legal and personal journey lead her deep into the complex, dark and sometimes funny chaos of the ongoing struggle in the Middle East, in which all players find themselves alone in their struggle to survive. As usual the Palestinian cause is dismissed, the movie ends with the Israeli wife moving out (obviously divorcing her husband), a tall concrete wall built between between Salma's land and the Israeli Minister's home, implying that they found an arrangement... but a final camera shot let us see that the trees have been cut off. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Berlin International Film Festival, European Film Awards, ...Lemon Tree ( Etz Limon ) ( Les citronniers )
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
90 of 90 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
An outstandingly good film. The director tackles the bitter Israel-Palestinian conflict by focusing on how it impinges on one Arab widow (the wonderful Hiam Abbass) who tries to scrape a living from her grove of lemon trees. Her new neighbour, who unfortunately for her is the Israeli defence minister and his wife, is advised by his security goons that the next door lemon grove constitutes a security risk, and an order is given for its chopping down. The widow decides against all odds to fight the decision, eventually taking it all the way to the Supreme Court.
The great merit of this film lies in the way the political theme, interesting enough on its own, is entwined with private dramas going on in the lives of the widow, the lawyer she engages to fight her case, and the minister's wife who is brought to perceive the human cost of a political decision in which she is implicated. These interlinked public and private themes are delicately handled, with just the right amount of weight being given to each.
Hiam Abbass, who I thought was the best thing about the same director's earlier The Syrian Bride, here shines even more brightly. She gives a wonderfully subtle portrayal of a woman who resists pressure from all sides, including from overbearing male interests, to give in and conform. Against the odds and her natural temperament, she turns her small act of revolt into one symbolic of every individual fighting for justice against overweening authority. This is great acting.
The great merit of this film lies in the way the political theme, interesting enough on its own, is entwined with private dramas going on in the lives of the widow, the lawyer she engages to fight her case, and the minister's wife who is brought to perceive the human cost of a political decision in which she is implicated. These interlinked public and private themes are delicately handled, with just the right amount of weight being given to each.
Hiam Abbass, who I thought was the best thing about the same director's earlier The Syrian Bride, here shines even more brightly. She gives a wonderfully subtle portrayal of a woman who resists pressure from all sides, including from overbearing male interests, to give in and conform. Against the odds and her natural temperament, she turns her small act of revolt into one symbolic of every individual fighting for justice against overweening authority. This is great acting.
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Sometimes it's the small things that cause differences between people. In this movie that small thing is a lemon or rather a grove full of lemon trees. The only livelihood of a widowed Salma is threatened by her new neighbour, the Israeli Defence minister. In this splendid movie the story, the characters and the direction are all supreme. This movie should be mandatory viewing for anyone who is not sure how the Israeli-Palestinian affects ordinary people.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Jd Holloway
Format:DVD
This film relates the story of a Palestinian lady who tends a lemon grove with an elderly friend. When the Israel defence minister moves in opposite he decides her lemon grove must go. The film follows the story of the confrontation. The film is beautifully made, the acting, especially by the female lead, is charming. She is obviously in a no-win situation from the start, but this does not stop the film having an interesting narrative that holds the viewers interest till the end. This film is well worth a view and probably worth adding to your collection.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stays with you
This film stayed with me for a long time. It sums up everything about the Israel/Palestine conflict - that the Israelis have all the power and the Palestinians just get shafted. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Mia James
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eye-opener
As an Israeli film this is exceptionally even-handed and open-minded about "rights" - to land, to justice to human dignity and respect.
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. Mary R. Bilson
5.0 out of 5 stars
great movie
Storyline of a Palestinian woman with a grove of lemon trees who acquires the Isreali Minister of Defence as a neighbor. Read more
Published 3 months ago by anna
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyone should see "Lemontree" to understand the...
This is a thoughtful gentle film tinged with sadness. It reflects a complex situation without sloganising one way or the other. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Keith Wooldridge
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very touching and beautiful
This film is a stunning film, reminding me very much of the Manon des Sources story from the French cinema, it has that same "real" feel about it (rather than feeling like a... Read more
Published 8 months ago by A. Pechabadens
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Lemon Tree
This was a beautifully acted, thought provoking film which was truly evocative of the situation in Israel / Palestine today. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Roz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great film
If you don't know about the struggle of the Palestinian people this is a great film to watch.
It's produced by an Israeli with an all Israeli cast. Read more
It's produced by an Israeli with an all Israeli cast. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Period Drama Fan
5.0 out of 5 stars
painful personal journeys and microcosm of the Israeli dilemma
This is a wonderful drama that raises a personal issue to the level of telling the story of a nation. Read more
Published 16 months ago by rob crawford
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fine film
The Palestine-Israel struggle is shown in microcosm here, in the beautifully told story of a woman's struggle to save her lemon grove from mindless destruction. Read more
Published 23 months ago by lindylou
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slow but interesting
Having read the good reviews I decided to buy this prior to a visit to Israel/Palestine. As other reviews explain it is the story of a Palestinian widow with grown up children who... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Joanne
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