Nicolas Philibert's 'To Be and To Have' (2002)
Her Head in FilmsMay 21, 202401:33:19

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 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gleaners_and_I)


• Marwencol (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marwencol_(film))


• A Man Named Pearl (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0878134/)


• My episode on The Passion of Joan of Arc (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/4745a637)


• My episode on Cleo from 5 to 7 (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/91b8f47e)


• My episode on Dogfight (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/67d81347)


• My episode on The Mouth Agape (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/7e2ebba3)


• Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs_Dalloway)


• Won't You Be My Neighbor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Won%27t_You_Be_My_Neighbor%3F_(film))


• Columbine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre)


• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein)


• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby)


• Hamlet by Shakespeare (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet)


• Annie Dillard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Dillard)


• My episode on Dead Poets Society (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/4357ce4d)


• "Silicon Valley Came to Kansas Schools. That Started a Rebellion." (The New York Times) (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/technology/silicon-valley-kansas-schools.html)




All My Sources:




• Nicolas Philibert: I have no idea what my films are about (The Guardian) (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jun/28/nicolas-philibert-what-my-films-are-about)


• Nicolas Philibert: interview (Time Out London) (https://www.timeout.com/london/film/nicolas-philibert-interview)


• Être et avoir: The Medium and the Moment (Senses of Cinema) (http://sensesofcinema.com/2011/cteq/etre-et-avoir-the-medium-and-the-moment/)


• "A camera gives you incredible power over others" by Nicolas Philibert (http://nicolasphilibert.fr/en/film/69/etre-et-avoir)


• When avoir becomes more important than etre: now les enfants sue for slice of French film action (The Independent) (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/when-avoir-becomes-more-important-than-atildeordftre-now-les-enfants-sue-for-slice-of-french-film-5355166.html)


• Film's fallen hero fights on for his class (The Guardian) (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/oct/03/film.france)

* "Massif Hit" by Geoff Andrew (Time Out London) (http://nicolasphilibert.fr/en/film/69/etre-et-avoir)

* Back to basis by Richard Falcon (Sight and Sound) (http://nicolasphilibert.fr/en/film/69/etre-et-avoir)


• A Schoolroom Where Life is the Curriculum by Leslie Camhi (The New York Times) (http://nicolasphilibert.fr/en/film/69/etre-et-avoir)