Projects in development
THE ORANGE GROVE
Synopsis
Aziz, a young Arab actor in New York City, wrestles with the haunting echoes of his past while serving as an understudy in a production of the Greek tragedy Hecuba. Days before the premiere, he is thrust into the spotlight, and rehearsals become a fragile dance between memory and reality. Shadows of his childhood in a war-torn homeland resurface—memories of a lost twin brother, Ahmad, and an orange grove torn apart by conflict. As Aziz delves deeper into his role, his own anguish bleeds into the performance. The play’s director sees a rare, unguarded truth in Aziz’s portrayal, unaware of the profound personal wounds that lie beneath it. On opening night, Aziz’s grief and guilt transform his performance into a raw, cathartic journey. Through the act of storytelling, he confronts the fractured pieces of his identity, merging the past with the present and finding a bittersweet peace in honoring his brother’s memory.
Director’s statement
The Orange Grove is a cinematic exploration of resilience and the human spirit, weaving themes of identity, displacement, and the lingering impact of trauma. The film juxtaposes the beauty of an Arab family's orange grove with the intensity of present-day New York City, shifting between reality and a dreamlike realm. My vision is to transform the novel’s dramatic narrative into a psychological thriller, especially in the New York segments.This adaptation is deeply personal, reflecting my own experiences of navigating cultural identity and exile. I aim to capture the emotional complexity of Aziz's journey, focusing on the intersection of family, politics, and inner conflict. I intend to evoke a sense of nostalgia and rawness. My goal is to create a film that balances various worlds and timelines while preserving the core themes of brotherhood, loss, and the search for inner peace.
Biographies
Acclaimed filmmaker Murad Abu Eisheh was born in 1992 in Amman and graduated from the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in 2023. Abu Eisheh’s film Tala'vision garnered international recognition, won numerous awards, and was shortlisted for Academy Awards. His work is distinguished for its incisive critique of socio-political injustices and his visionary approach to storytelling in the Eastern Mediterranean region. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Max Films is a Montreal-based company that specializes in the development and production of films, many of which have had distinguished international careers. They include Borderline, La Grande Séduction, Maelström, Jésus de Montréal, and Le Déclin de l'empire américain. The company's most recent productions include Don McKellar's English-language remake of The Grand Seduction, Kim Nguyen's Two Lovers and a Bear, François Girard's Hochelaga, and most recently, Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog.
