Etz Limon (Lemon Tree) (2009)
89%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 8 wins & 13 nominations
A positive and personal Israeli film that offers an understated and thought-provoking vision of the West Bank troubles
Lemon Tree is a movie that’s like a lemon itself – sour, but with a hint of sweetness. The film takes a ground-level look at the human aspect of the problems in the Middle East, and while it may not offer a solution, it’s definitely effective in making you feel upset. The story may be simplistic, but the surreal moments and the quiet strength of Hiam Abbass’ performance make it memorable. Plus, who knew that a lemon tree could be so controversial? It’s like the Middle Eastern version of the Hatfields and McCoys, but with fruit. Overall, Lemon Tree is a touching tale of forbidden fruit that’s worth a watch.
Production Company(ies)
Gruskoff, Venture Films, Crossbow Productions, Jouer Limited
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Djelazoun, West Bank, Israel
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2008
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 46m
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Language(s):Arabic, Hebrew, English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2009 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 8, 2009
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory, Ali Suliman, Rona Lipaz-Michael, Tarik Kopty, Amos Lavie, directed by Eran Riklis, written by Suha Arraf, Eran Riklis, Drama, West Bank, Palestinian, Israeli Defense Minister, lemon grove, lawyer, Supreme Court, international attention, Arabic, $566.1K, IFC Films, reviewed by Hank Sartin, Jonathan F Richards, Andrea Gronvall, Joe Williams, Tom Long, Walter V Addiego, Laura Hiros, Hannah Brown, Don Groves, Enrique Buchichio, Brandon Judell, Valention: The Last Emperor, No Impact Man, Lola Montes, Planet B-Boy, Peepli Live, rated PG-13, property rights, political conflict, human tragedy, pride, principal, love story, villainous light, sweet love story, parallel story, sympathetic, callous, incompetent, paranoid, defense minister, secret service, Palestinian woman, Israeli politician, neighbor conflict, box office success, limited release, streaming availability, Middle East, lemon trees, widow, security guards, terrorists, Israeli bureaucracy, justice system, Palestinian neighbors, income, idealistic young lawyer, wife, silent ally, powerless, frustration, futility, Arab-Israeli conflict
Worldwide gross: $7,387,488
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $10,175,982
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,961
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,109,704
US/Canada gross: $569,672
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $784,701
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,240
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,602
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $20,114
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,511
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Doron Tavory – Defense Minister Israel Navon
Ali Suliman – Ziad Daud
Rona Lipaz-Michael – Mira Navon
Tarik Kopty – Abu Hassam
Amos Lavie – Commander Jacob
Director(s)
Eran Riklis
Writer(s)
Suha Arraf, Eran Riklis
Producer(s)
Eran Riklis
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
8 wins & 13 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (6)
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Hank Sartin
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Eran Riklis, who directed and co-wrote with Suha Arraf (they also collaborated on The Syrian Bride), has made a compelling movie that takes its strength from the ground-level picture it gives of the human aspect of the problems in that part of the world.
August 23, 2009
Jonathan F. Richards
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
The two Israelis who take her side are female, which underscores the film’s message: a little less machismo might save a lot more than trees.
June 12, 2009
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The pungence of Lemon Tree is in the surreal moments that capture the pervasive unease in Gaza, and in the quiet strength of Abbass’ performance.
June 4, 2009 | Rating: 3/4
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
This is a film about a problem, not a solution, and it’s effectively upsetting.
May 15, 2009 | Rating: B
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
The story, based on a real incident, may be simplistic, but that’s the nature of fables. The direction is sure-handed, and the acting is good, particularly by the very appealing Abbass.
May 8, 2009 | Rating: 3/4
Walter V. Addiego
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
… the result is predictable, the movie is memorable. [Full review in Spanish]
March 21, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
Laura Hiros
Rincón de cine
We’re told what to think and whom to like in a way that short-circuits the chance for real drama.
March 21, 2016
Hannah Brown
Jerusalem Post
A touching tale of forbidden fruit in the Middle East.
January 3, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Don Groves
sbs.com.au
En general no me gusta decir que una película es “necesaria” (un facilismo rimbombante en el que suelen caer muchos críticos), pero en este caso debo hacer una excepción.
October 17, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Enrique Buchichio
Uruguay Total
Abbass’s starkly moving performance and the film’s closing shots make this metaphor for the unsolvable unforgettable.
September 29, 2009 | Rating: 8/10
Brandon Judell
CultureCatch
The vivid cinematography gives the viewer glimpses of scenic locations throughout Israel. This is a quiet and somber journey that allows lots of time for thought and reflection on the current state of affairs in the Middle East.
June 20, 2009 | Rating: 2.5/4
Keith Cohen
Entertainment Spectrum…
Plot
Salma Zidane, a widow, lives simply from her grove of lemon trees in the West Bank’s occupied territory. The Israeli defense minister and his wife move next door; the Secret Service orders the trees removed for security. The stoic Salma seeks assistance from the Palestinian Authority (useless), Israeli army (dismissive), and a young attorney, Ziad Daud, who takes the case; this older client attracts him. While the courts deliberate, the Israelis fence her trees and prohibit her from entering the grove. As the trees wither, the defense minister’s wife and, separately, an Israeli journalist, look on Salma with sympathy. In this allegory, does David stand a chance against Goliath?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Lemon Tree includes Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory, Ali Suliman, Rona Lipaz-Michael, Tarik Kopty, and Amos Lavie.
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