Lemon Tree

Every once in a while there is a movie so beautiful, it draws you in and makes you part of it. You are no longer the observer sitting in a darkened room or theatre, but have been pulled through the invisible wall that divides you from the story. Such a movie is "Lemon Tree". It's an Israeli movie, and it takes place on the border between Israel and the West Bank. A Palestinian widow, Salma Zidane, has inherited her family's lemon grove, and it is her only source of income. The Israeli Defense Minister and his wife move into the house next door, and the Defense Minister orders Salma's lemon grove to be cut down, arguing that it could be a hiding place for terrorists. Security forces set up a guard tower and barbed wire around the grove, and order the trees to be uprooted. Salma is forbidden to enter the grove to pick the lemons or to tend the trees, and they slowly begin to die from lack of care and water. Salma decides to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court, and her quiet dignity and determination are magnificent. The actress who plays Salma Salma, Hiam Abass, was also in "The Visitor", and she is an amazing actress.

In "Lemon Tree", Salma and the Israeli Defense Minister's wife, Mira, become friends. Mira has great respect for Salma and empathy for her plight, and she is disgusted with her husband's overbearing attitude and the way he bullies Salma. She understands Salma, and they develop a bond that transcends the Israeli / Palestinian conflict. I have often thought what a wonderful world this would be if women had the chance to run things for a while. Perhaps they might give a whole new, more humane perspective. Eran Riklis, the producer of the movie, said, "I wanted to populate this film with a lot of faces and give each character their own moment of grace, even when, on the surface, it's one of the 'bad guys,' so to speak... This film does address the ugly side of occupation perhaps, yet no blood is spilled." The movie gives a sympathetic view of the Palestinians, even though it is made by Israelis. The movie is not about war or peace, it is about the beauty of living a simple, day-to-day life. The New York Times named it a 'Critics Pick' of 2009. Well, it certainly gets Jo's 'Critics Pick'.