Scene from 'Lemon Tree'
‘Lemon Tree’ gets sweet reception in Berlin
Israeli film tells story of Palestinian widow forced to uproot her cherished lemon grove for security purposes, as Israeli defense minister and his family live nearby
BERLIN - The Israeli film "Lemon Tree" received a warm, enthusiastic reception at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The film, directed by Eran Riklis, debuted at the festival Friday at screening attended by the director as well as lead actors Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory, Ali Suliman, and Rona Lipaz-Michael.
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"The Lemon Tree", which has also garnered rave reviews in the German and international media, tells the story of a Palestinian widow living next to the Israeli border, who is forced to chop down her cherished lemon grove to accommodate the security demands for the Israeli defense minister and his family who live right across the border from her. The widow fights the decision in court, but ultimately fails.
“The movie was inspired by a true story of a Palestinian woman who had to cut down her lemon tree because of security concerns, but it is not a direct depiction of that incident,” says director Riklis.
The director also noted that “the movie is not blatantly political, but rather a story about real people and real situations that people can identify with. In spite of the whirlwind of changes sweeping the Middle East, there is a mix of hope and pessimism in the region.
"People want to look beyond the everyday reality in the region, and so I believe that this movie will appeal to a wide range of viewers.”
