To Be and to Have

Rating:
Summary: Good work, beautifully done
Review: I was fortunate enough to see this lovely film in a theatre, rather than as a video/DVD rental.

Not much of obvious consequence seems to take place, but gradually we realise that learning and growing is taking place.

This beautiful film transports us all back to the days when we found that one teacher who inspired us to learn and grow. For me (more than 40 years ago) it was a young Miss Dey, and for the fortunate kids in the Auvergne it was Georges Lopez.

This is inspirational stuff and should not be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Etre et Avoir is a joy to watch
Review: It is a pleasure to see the everyday events of classroom life in rural France unfold in all its varied details -- some momentous, some apparently trivial -- in Nicolas Philibert's gentle documentary.

It is a privilege indeed to see M Lopez at work, softspoken and consistently calm in manner, with a genuine affection for his students, and yet also having authority and commanding real respect. The schoolchildren themselves, making up a delightful cast of characters, both amuse us and move us.

A real joy.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome & Incredible Captivation!!
Review: When friends invited us to go with them to see a French documentary with subtitles, I wasn't sure what to expect...but dry and tedious came to mind. I couldn't have been more wrong!

I could watch this movie over and over and still get something more out of it each time. It ended too soon! The cinamatography is nothing short of spectacular. It is landscape photography come to life. It is portraiture with voices. And if you don't fall in love with Jo Jo, you have a heart of stone. You will become so drawn into this gem that you will feel as if you are sitting in the classroom yourself and observing what is happening first hand rather than watching a movie. And you will wish that every student in the world could have Mr. Lopez for a teacher. This movie should be required viewing for every teacher everywhere...and those who are not inspired by it should consider another profession.

It is difficult to appreciate this movie on all levels in one viewing...the artful cinematograpy, the beauty of the landscapes in all the seasons, the faces of the children, the wisdom of this wonderful teacher. This is on my list of most memorable movies...and I have a very short list. There aren't enough words to say how highly I recommend this. I'll be first in line to buy the video!