To Be and to Have

In a small town in Auvergne, north of Provence, Georges Lopez runs a one-room school house. To his 13 students, aged 4-11, Lopez teaches reading, writing, arithmetic and all the other subjects (including gym). Nicolas Philibert follows a year in the life of the school, introducing us in a series of vignettes, to all the children, and exposing us to the rare and extraordinary dedication of their teacher. Thought-provoking and above all a pleasure to watch, To Be and to Have is another proof of the power of documentary film.