Être et avoir (2002)

October 20, 2018 10:50 PM

A documentary portrait of a one-room school in rural France, where the students (ranging in age from 4 to 11) are educated by a single dedicated teacher.

[Trailer] [IMDB] [Wikipedia] [Rotten Tomatoes]

some pro

The director's patient approach pays real dividends, in the way he observes the kids (who seem genuinely un-selfconscious about the presence of the camera) at work and at play in such a beneficial environment. BBC

This movie is a portal, leading to a living museum of childhood at its most poignant. The Dissolve

a con

At times, it feels as stultifying as watching paint dry, without the recompense of sniffing fumes. The Denver Post [review unavailable]

miscellany

• French film star teacher sues
• Defeat for teacher who sued over film profits
• Être et avoir: The Medium and the Moment
• Interview: Être et avoir
• Être et avoir au passé compliqué
• Instituteur de Être et avoir: la Cour de Strasbourg déclare sa requête irrecevable
• Être et avoir: dix ans après, que sont-ils devenus?

posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs (2 comments total)

The final article - with its focus on the impact of the film on the children depicted and their village - is very interesting. I guess one of the strange things about Être et avoir is that it is a documentary that captures just one moment in time: Georges Lopez, Jojo and the others inhabitants of Sainte-Étienne sur Usson remain frozen in time and unaffected by fame. I guess if the medium had been TV other than film - then there would have been overwhelming pressure to make a series to follow Lopez with different children - or the same children as they grew up.

A friend once told me he got a job after answering the interview question "what is the most challenging thing you have ever done?" with the reply "learning to read". Hard to argue with that - from first efforts - to the point of getting half decent - can take longer than most university degrees. The film covers that period really well.

The French continue to make some great films about educatio: . "Ma vie de Courgette ", "L'étudiante et Monsieur Henri", "Les choristes " and so on.
posted by rongorongo at 5:30 AM on October 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

Saw this years ago and it is a lovely film.
posted by memebake at 6:39 AM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]