Live and Become (2005)

A Christian boy escapes to Israel from famine-stricken Ethiopia by pretending to be Jewish.

Director:

Radu Mihaileanu

Writers:

Alain-Michel Blanc (collaborator on screenplay), Radu Mihaileanu

Stars:

Yaël Abecassis, Roschdy Zem, Moshe Agazai

12 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yaël Abecassis	...	Yael
Roschdy Zem	...	Yoram
Moshe Agazai	...	Schlomo enfant
Moshe Abebe	...	Schlomo adolescent
Sirak M. Sabahat	...	Schlomo adulte
Yitzhak Edgar	...	Le Qès Amara
Roni Hadar	...	Sara
Rami Danon	...	Papy
Mimi Abonesh Kebede	...	Hana - la mère Juive Ethiopienne
Meskie Shibru	...	La mère de Schlomo (as Meskie Shibru Sivan)
Raymonde Abecassis	...	Suzy
Yosi Alfi	...	Rabbin Talmud Tora (as Yossi Alfi)
Shmil Ben Ari	...	Directeur internat (as Shmil Ben-Ari)
Shlomo Vishinsky	...	Le policier
Shai Fredo	...	Le traducteur

Storyline

In 1980 the black Falashas in Ethiopia are recognised as genuine Jews. In turn they are secretly carried to Israel. The day before the transport the son of a Jewish mother dies. In his place and with his name (Schlomo) she takes a Christian 9-year-old boy. Upon arrival this second mother dies. Schlomo is adopted by a good family but remains depressed until he secretly sends a letter to his real mother. From the beginning he experiences large and small racist difficulties. In his teens he and Sarah fall in love. Her father is an extreme racist. Schlomo tries to gain "real Jewishness" by winning a competition in Bible interpretation. No change of Sarah's father's attitude. Disappointed he goes to the police and reports himself as not being a Jew. But the police officer just gives him a scolding. "The newspapers are full of that stuff, the Falashas are no Jews. Now they begin to believe it themselves." His adoptive parents send him to France to study medicine. When he afterwards marries ...

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Plot Keywords:

jew | love | israel | letter | christian | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

France Israel Belgium Italy

Language:

Hebrew French Amharic

Release Date:

1 February 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Live and Become

Filming Locations:

Ethiopia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Elzévir Films,Oï Oï Oï Productions,Cattleya

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

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Quotes

Schlomo adolescent: Should we give back land we consider our own. We were deprived of it in our wanderings and had no other to call our own. And now we finally have it back and we love it...
Papy: This tree provides shade. We planted it 50 years ago. But the tree over there; it was there before we got here. I think we should share the land, like the sun and the shade, so that others can know love too.
Schlomo adolescent: Even if we risk being pushed to the sea and dying?
Papy: Love dosen't come without risks. And it's difficult to decide how ...

User Reviews

provoking

I have just finished watching "vas vis et deviens" and must say that this is one of the most thought provoking pictures i have seen in a longtime. Many controversial issues were raised. Although racism and the never ending question of "who is a Jew?" were raised , less obvious, more subdued issues were also dealt with. The most intriguing issue raised deals with separating state and religion. The viewer essentially comes to see situations in shades of grey. The viewer is asked to find himself in the Israeli government without the movie even dealing with governmental issues. Not only are you constantly challenged in this movie but you will be offended and intrigued by it. This is a definite must see.