To Be and to Have

Audience Reviews

View More

Kyle M @RT77296778 Mar 18, 2026 Captured with good intentions that’s been alleged as borderline exploitation, this decently heartened documentary shines an exemplar light on teacher-student(s) relationship with fittingly poetic scenery and appealing with childhood innocence, becoming a Mister Rogers-influenced session with little nostalgia and little distinctive takeaways. (B) See more

Olivia T @RT82666881 Feb 20, 2025 This movie, filmed in the region where I was born and spent my early childhood, beautifully depicts rural isolation and childhood. The viewer walks away from this documentary with a deep admiration for the schoolteacher, who dedicated so much time and held so much love for his students. See more

Apr 5, 2017 Subtitles throughout, as this is all in French, To Be and To Have would be a great teacher for teachers of kindergarten and first grade teachers. The man teaches with love. I personally found it fairly boring until the end. When the kids are done for the year, the oldest are leaving to middle school for good, their love of their teacher is palpable. Brought tears to my eyes in fact. Just plan on it moving rather slowly and having an inside look at the day to day issues involved with kiddos at a very small school in France. This is more of an educational film, not so much entertaining, that's why I give only 3.5 stars. If it were what I was seeking, it would have gotten 5 stars. It wasn't all that entertaining to me though. I can see how mothers would appreciate it a lot more than I did. See more

filippo v @RT86595928 Mar 2, 2017 Sono del parere che non basta mostrare scene di vita quotidiana per avere un'opera ricca di significato emotivo. In questo film documentario ci vengono descritte le vite scolastiche di una serie di alunni, la dura vita dell'insegnante e il suo arduo compito di indirizzarli verso la giusta direzione. Solo in rare parti riusciamo ad avere una sorta di coinvolgimento, grazie a scene nostalgiche e situazioni che mostrano la pura innocenza dei bambini. Oltre a questo, quest'opera rimane troppo lunga e, sotto il mio punto di vista, priva di un messaggio così profondo come vorrebbe. See more

Apr 15, 2014 A dazzlingly sweet, calming, and surprisingly unpretentious production on a French classroom - it perfectly documents the emotions of those within this community, and makes a great case of showing just how important teachers are in this world. See more

Apr 7, 2014 Its a moving documentary of one year in the life of the children in southern France. Aspiring teachers should see this because it will not only touch and move you, but it will make you rethink how one should approach education --with patience, kindness, and a will to see your pupils succeed. Through Msr. Lopez, these children mature and learn and in the process bond with one another as well as their teacher. Truly quite marvelous and heartwarming. See more

Read all reviews

To Be and to Have

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING