To Be and to Have (2002) Être et avoir (original title)

Director:

Nicolas Philibert

Release Date:

28 August 2002 (France)

Genre:

Documentary | Family

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

School | Dedicated Teacher | France | Dictation | Classroom

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 8 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Georges Lopez	...	The teacher
Alizé	...	Herself (student)
Axel Thouvenin	...	Himself (student) (as Axel)
Guillaume	...	Himself (student)
Jessie	...	Herself
Johan	...	Himself (student) (as Jojo)
Johann	...	Himself (student)
Jonathan	...	Himself
Julien	...	Himself (student)
Laura	...	Herself
Létitia	...	Herself
Marie-Elizabeth	...	Herself
Nathalie	...	Herself
Olivier	...	Himself (student)
Franck	...	Himself
Kevin	...	Himself
Jérome	...	Himself
Magali	...	Herself
Léa	...	Herself
Océane	...	Herself
Thomas	...	Himself
Valentin	...	Himself
Famille Chanimbaud	...	Themselves
Famille Dujardin	...	Themselves
Famille Garrido	...	Themselves
Famille Jeune	...	Themselves
Famille Lacombe	...	Themselves
Famille Olléon	...	Themselves
Famille Ponte	...	Themselves
Famille Rochès	...	Themselves
Famille Thouvenin	...	Themselves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeannot	...	Himself (chaufeur)

Directed by
Nicolas Philibert

Produced by
Rémi Burah	....	co-producer
Serge Lalou	....	associate producer
Gilles Sandoz	....	producer

Original Music by
Philippe Hersant

Cinematography by
Laurent Didier
Katell Djian
Hugues Gemignani
Nicolas Philibert

Film Editing by
Nicolas Philibert

Production Management
Isabelle Pailley Sandoz	....	production manager

Sound Department
Julien Cloquet	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Christian Guy	....	still photographer
Nicolas Philibert	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Thaddée Bertrand	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Tatiana Bouchain	....	assistant to producer

Thanks
Renaud Personnaz	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Canal+
• Centre National de Documentation Pédagogique
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)
• Gimages 4
• Les Films d'Ici
• Maïa Films
• arte France Cinéma

Distributors

• BIM Distribuzione (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2004) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Contact Film Cinematheek (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Karma Films (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Les Films du Losange (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Longride (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Mercure Distribution (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Miracle Voice (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• New Yorker Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Orlando Films (2003) (Israel) (theatrical)
• Tokyo Theaters Company (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Zeta Films (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Moskwood Media (2003) (Netherland) (VHS)
• New Yorker Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• New Yorker Video (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Primer Plano Film Group (Argentina) (DVD)
• Primer Plano Film Group (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Être et avoir" - France (original title)

Runtime:

104 min | France:105 min (Cannes Film Festival)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Brazil:Livre | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Norway:A | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | Taiwan:GP | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Italy:T | South Korea:All | UK:PG (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Saint-Etienne-sur-Usson, Puy-de-Dôme, France

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

After Etre et Avoir received so many awards and was met with such fanfare, the teacher, Georges Lopez, sued the producer for compensation. Contractually he and the students were paid a set amount of money (low-budget documentary prices), however Lopez did promotional tours and thought he deserved a larger share after the film's success. The French judge did not rule in his favour.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Story of Film: An Odyssey: Episode #1.15" (2011)

Breathtaking

Any criticism of this movie would be made by those who didn't open their minds enough to it. Despite being incredibly slow, it is never tedious due to the nature of the cast. Filmed during a few months in a single room class in rural France, Etre et Avoir (To Be and to Have) is one of the most touching studies of youth to be put to film. It captures the changing of seasons in particular to moving effect. As a child develops, succeeds and as we see them grow, so too does our perception of the patient teacher (Georges Lopez). So effective in its communication is this film that, without being heavy handed or tedious, it provides us time to digest exactly what we are watching. A real slow burn and very memorable.