ZAYTOUN
In 1982, amid the Lebanese Civil War, Israeli pilot Yoni (Stephen Dorff) is shot down over Beirut and is taken prisoner by inhabitants of a Palestinian refugee camp. Among the captors is ten-year-old Fahed, whose father obsessively tends to his prized, but sickly olive tree, refusing to replant it until they return to their ancestral land. Despite his deep-rooted hatred for Yoni, Fahed realizes he can use him to get past the border and into “Palestine” to plant his father’s olive tree. The two embark on a harrowing and dangerous journey – one that tests the very boundaries of humanity. ZAYTOUN is a story of survival, reconciliation and friendship.
“A warm-hearted and well-intentioned movie that will appeal to audiences of all ages” – Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter
“Compelling!” – Kee Chang, Anthem Magazine
“While we walk the narrow edge between war and peace in the Middle East, Zaytoun offers a haunting view in, complete with the human, emotional casualties we hardly find featured on the news,” – E. Nina Rothe, Huffington Post
“[Zaytoun] seamlessly blends humanity with the brutality of war, while also bringing an unusually bright approach to its dark subject,” – E. Nina Rothe, Huffington Post
“the action is slick and the story gripping … [a]ppealing to audiences with an interest in Middle Eastern history, but also simple and universal enough to serve as a straight wartime thriller,” – Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter
DIRECTOR:
Eran Riklis
WRITER:
Nader Rizq
PRODUCER:
Fred Ritzenberg
Gareth Unwin
CAST:
Abdallah El Akal
Country of Origin: UK/Israel
Format: HD/2:35/Color
Sound Format: Dolby SRD
Running Time: 110 minutes
Genre: Drama
Not Rated
In English, Arabic and Hebrew with English Subtitles
See this film at the following theaters: