Lemon Tree (Film)
- Hiam Abbass: Salma Zidane
- Doron Tavory: Defense Minister Israel Navon
- Ali Suliman lawyer Ziad Daud
- Rona Lipaz -Michael Mira, wife of Defence Minister Navon
- Tarik Copty: Abu Hussam
Lemon Tree is an Israeli film from the year 2008. The film opened on October 2, 2008 in the German cinemas.
Action
Salma Zidane is a widow. She lives on the outskirts of the West Bank and maintains the lemon grove of her late father. Compared to the lemon grove attracts Israeli Defense Israel Navon with his wife Mira into a new house. The Palestinian Salma and her lemon grove are now rated as a danger to the security of the minister. A fence is pulled, an observation tower is erected and the Israeli military decides to expropriate the lemon grove in return for compensation. Salma seeks help in the Palestinian community, but without success. Only the lawyer Ziad Daud takes care of the case. It comes between Salma and Ziad the much younger to a socially forbidden, but cautious affair. Together they go to court, however, rejected. Salma not give up and prefers the Israeli Supreme Court. The months-long struggle of the widow becomes an international political issue. The international and Israeli press report in detail about the operation. Salma is even supported by Mira. The two women can not get closer, but Mira can feel sympathy for the militant women on the other side of the fence.
The judge in the Supreme Court eventually seek a compromise. Salma can keep the lemon grove. Only about 100 trees, that is, half of the trees must be cut to a low height. In the meantime, has become of the fence a huge wall. The defense loses his wife about this conflict. But he is in his new house, surrounded by a wall. Behind the wall Salma mourns about the no longer usable lemon grove. From the newspaper she learns that Ziad has become engaged to a young woman.
Reviews
Rolf von der Reith wrote in the TV Digital 20 dated 19 September 2008 that the drama was highly symbolic meaning, but excellent performer, especially Abbass would make the political lesson in a thrilling cinema drama. At the award ceremony of the 2008 European Film Awards Riklis film also received nominations for Best Actress ( Abbass ) and Best Screenplay.
Awards
The film had its world premiere in the Panorama section at the Berlinale 2008. He was here won the Panorama Audience Award. A few months later Hiam Abbass was for the lead role of Salma with the Ophir, the national film award of Israel, excellent.