Etz Limon
Israel/Germany/France 2008
Director: Eran Riklis
Featuring: Hiam Abbas, Daron Tavory,Ali Suliman, Mira Navon
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew, English
Running time: 106 minuites
Salma (Hiam Abbass), a Palestinian widow, has to stand up against her new neighbour, the Israeli Defense Minister (Doron Tavory), 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 declare that Salma’s trees pose a risk to the Minister’s safety (a potential hiding place) and issue orders to uproot them. Together with Ziad Daud (Ali Suliman), 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 (Rona Lipaz-Michael), the Defense minister’s wife, who is somewhat trapped in her new home and in a lonely life. Despite their differences and the borders between them the two women develop an invisible bond, while 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.The story leaves us with a deep sadness about the ongoing conflict between Israel and her neighbours, and how that has poisoned their respective humanity.Source: Andrew Urban www.urbancinefile.com.au
Compiled by Peter Gillard