To Be and to Have (Être et avoir)

France, Auvergne, department of Puy Le Dome. The area is so remote that the institution of the single classroom still exists, where children of all ages from the entire elementary school cycle come together. Documentary master Nicolas Philibert portrays a teacher nearing retirement who guides all his pupils, striving to teach them not only a little general knowledge but also ethical and civic lessons, from mutual respect to the futility of violence. Être et avoir is an unusual case of a documentary that became an unexpected blockbuster in France, winning the César Award and Best Documentary at the European Film Awards in 2002.