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Poster for To Be and to Have

To Be and to Have

Seen it?

2002 | 104 min | Documentary

Saturday Specialearly rating

Why it’s a Saturday Special

Critics loved it (97% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it made about 16 times its budget, despite almost no lasting buzz. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for the curious. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Eye-opening.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 44 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

The documentary's title translates as "to be and to have", the two auxiliary verbs in the French language. It is about a primary school in the commune of Saint-Étienne-sur-Usson, Puy-de-Dôme, France, the population of which is just over 200. The school has one small class of mixed ages (from four to twelve years), with a dedicated teacher, Georges Lopez, who shows patience and respect for the children as we follow their story through a single school year.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 87 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.3 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Nominated for 1 BAFTA and 1 DGA Award.

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $16 million worldwide on a $1 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 9K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Nicolas Philibert

  • Georges LopezSelf, teacher
  • JohanSelf, 4 year old - Jojo
  • AlizéSelf, 3 year old
  • GuillaumeSelf, 9 year old
  • LétitiaSelf, 4 year old
  • JohannSelf, 4 year old
  • JonathanSelf, 10 year old
  • OlivierSelf, 10 year old
  • LauraSelf, 7 year old
  • Marie-ElizabethSelf, 4 year old