Nicolas Philibert's 'To Be and To Have' (2002)

In this episode, I talk about Nicolas Philibert's 2002 documentary, "To Be and To Have." It focuses on a small school in rural France where the kind and patient teacher, Georges Lopez, instills a sense of worth in all of his students and connects with them one-on-one. The film shows the dynamics between the students who range in age, from kindergartners to teenagers and also looks at some of their struggles. I talk about childhood, separation, nostalgia, the importance of school in my own life, and the impact that various teachers had on me.

Full Show Notes:

• The Gleaners and I


• Marwencol


• A Man Named Pearl


• My episode on The Passion of Joan of Arc


• My episode on Cleo from 5 to 7


• My episode on Dogfight


• My episode on The Mouth Agape


• Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf


• Won't You Be My Neighbor


• Columbine


• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley


• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald


• Hamlet by Shakespeare


• Annie Dillard


• My episode on Dead Poets Society


• "Silicon Valley Came to Kansas Schools. That Started a Rebellion." (The New York Times)

All My Sources:

• Nicolas Philibert: I have no idea what my films are about (The Guardian)


• Nicolas Philibert: interview (Time Out London)


• Être et avoir: The Medium and the Moment (Senses of Cinema)


• "A camera gives you incredible power over others" by Nicolas Philibert


• When avoir becomes more important than etre: now les enfants sue for slice of French film action (The Independent)


• Film's fallen hero fights on for his class (The Guardian)
  
  * "Massif Hit" by Geoff Andrew (Time Out London)
  
  * Back to basis by Richard Falcon (Sight and Sound)


• A Schoolroom Where Life is the Curriculum by Leslie Camhi (The New York Times)