'Lemon Tree' captures emotions
Paulina Malek
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
When I began to watch "Lemon Tree" for the first time, I had envisioned it to be a story about the long struggle between Israel and Palestine, often characterized by territories and violence. Further in, I realized it was a story about people fighting for their own personal happiness and that setting boundaries can sometimes lead to trouble.
"Lemon Tree," directed by Eran Riklis, is a story about an older, lonely Palestinian woman, Salma Zidane, who lives on the border of Israel and the West Bank and claims the lemon grove as her only source of livelihood and comfort. To add fuel to the fire, the minister of defense of Israel moves next door and quickly orders the lemon trees to be uprooted for fear of terrorists hiding among them and generating an attack. Armed with an out-of-work attorney and a little bit of courage, both go all the way to the Supreme Court to fight for the lemon trees. However, the attorney is not the only one on her side as the defense minister's wife, Mira Navon, also feels trapped and lonely in her new life and forms a silent bond with Zidane.
"This is really a film about solitude as it is reflected in the lives of two women - Salma on the Palestinian side and Mira, the defense minister's wife, on the Israeli one, and I guess that is what really drew me to it as well as all the other characters involved who somehow represent so many issues and subjects, but all of them suffer from a kind of loneliness which is part of their lives on a personal and national level," director Eran Riklis said.
I enjoyed that the story was not only political, but that it depicted the inner conflict of each individual trapped in his or her circumstances regardless of class or place of residence. Whether the characters fought for their rights, power or family, they all yearned to be understood. However, I would have liked to see more scenes of opposition by the courts and other individuals in order to truly capture the desperation of that area and situation. For instance, when Zidane goes to an acquaintance to receive help in reading the court order in Hebrew, he only says that he hopes she understands that taking compensation from the Israelis is wrong, but shows no further resistance.
"Lemon Tree," directed by Eran Riklis, is a story about an older, lonely Palestinian woman, Salma Zidane, who lives on the border of Israel and the West Bank and claims the lemon grove as her only source of livelihood and comfort. To add fuel to the fire, the minister of defense of Israel moves next door and quickly orders the lemon trees to be uprooted for fear of terrorists hiding among them and generating an attack. Armed with an out-of-work attorney and a little bit of courage, both go all the way to the Supreme Court to fight for the lemon trees. However, the attorney is not the only one on her side as the defense minister's wife, Mira Navon, also feels trapped and lonely in her new life and forms a silent bond with Zidane.
"This is really a film about solitude as it is reflected in the lives of two women - Salma on the Palestinian side and Mira, the defense minister's wife, on the Israeli one, and I guess that is what really drew me to it as well as all the other characters involved who somehow represent so many issues and subjects, but all of them suffer from a kind of loneliness which is part of their lives on a personal and national level," director Eran Riklis said.
I enjoyed that the story was not only political, but that it depicted the inner conflict of each individual trapped in his or her circumstances regardless of class or place of residence. Whether the characters fought for their rights, power or family, they all yearned to be understood. However, I would have liked to see more scenes of opposition by the courts and other individuals in order to truly capture the desperation of that area and situation. For instance, when Zidane goes to an acquaintance to receive help in reading the court order in Hebrew, he only says that he hopes she understands that taking compensation from the Israelis is wrong, but shows no further resistance.
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