THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora

Screening Sighting - 'Live And Become'

Curious...

A new addition to the ScreeningSightings.com database.

The film is called LIVE AND BECOME.

Summary: Based on the exodus of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, the film is a harrowing and poignant look at the struggles of cultural and personal identity. In 1985 Operation Moses is launched to airlift thousands of persecuted Ethiopian Jews (known as Falashas) from Sudan to Israel. When a Falasha widow's son dies, she smuggles a Christian boy with her to ensure his survival. Guilt-ridden at leaving his real mother behind, the boy--renamed Schlomo--is soon orphaned when his Jewish guardian dies. A smart but rebellious student, Schlomo (played at various ages by Moshe Agazai, Mosche Abebe, and Sirak M. Sabahat) finds a stable home with an adoptive French-Israeli couple (Roschdy Zem and Yaƫl Abecassis). The secular couple encourages his Jewish faith while defending him against the prejudices of their neighbors and the Israeli state. But Schlomo's deception only deepens when he falls for Sarah (Roni Hader), a white Jew, and must contend with her racist father. When he and Sarah marry years later, Schlomo must come clean about his identity if he is to find his place in the world and fulfill his mother's wish: "Go. Live and become."


It played and won awards at numerous international film festivals - notably, Berlin, Copenhagen, and Vancouver. It also won the Cesar for "Best Screenplay" - the French equivalent of the Oscars.

It will be screening at select Laemmle Theatres in L.A. - specifically the Music Hall, Town Center and Playhouse - from 6/27 to 7/3. Click HERE for showtimes at each location.

Here's the trailer:

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous said...
     

    Intriguing...I was interested so I did a little digging. It is scheduled for DVD release on December 31, 2008. Just a little FYI.

    - P

  2. The Obenson Report said...
     

    Cool beans! It might play in NYC before then I hope.

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