pierrejcd I saw this movie because it had been well liked by the French audience for one year after its release. I was in France at the time. Another story of a Jew being badly treated in life was not that compelling because, surely, there are many other people of other races who have been mistreated and will be mistreated. It seems that Jews want us to feel they are the only one being mistreated, but we know that this is not true. Regardless, I went to see it. I quickly understood the importance of one important aspect of the movie, namely the acceptance of the Jewish community of Jews that look like Arabs. The story is very powerful as we see the whole spectrum of judgement and acceptance in people. (BTW, I think that we could extend the lessons of this movie to include all people who look different). The music is good, but it is a bit "repetitive"! The acting is alright, but I am not good at criticizing that. The plot is the best part of the movie. It is a courageous movie for sure, as it shows in a bad light some of the worst reactions of some Jewish people. However, you also see the acceptance of many. Surely, there are all kinds of people in ISrael, just like there are in many countries. It is a beautiful movie that you could watch a few times and appreciate again and again. The ending is somewhat predictable, but so powerful.

Weredegu I can only talk in superlatives about this movie. It's so powerful that it takes a second viewing to realize that in fact it's even more powerful... Yes, there is a history lesson in it (Falashas, Middle East, Cold War, Gulf War etc.), and yes, it's an interesting tale about a person whom you just have to think to be real, but more than that, it's so universal in its way of talking about our search for a secure identity... searching for it in a process at the end of which we hope to end up in some nice future at the same time not having forgotten that what was precious in our past. To arrive at that, so much help is needed from good people you can trust, or so much luck, if you want to say it that way... This film will make you realize that and in the process it will awaken in you an overwhelming feeling of respect for human dignity as well.To Radu Mihaileanu I can only say, continue to give us this good films, please. If it takes years of research as it did in this case, so be it. Oh, and I hope to see all of the actors, too, again some day. How stupid of me, I will, of course, at the third viewing of 'Va, vis et deviens'.

jeromezz Obscure topics allows new perspectives. Removing us from our surroundings so completely this show gives us unique perspectives. Powerful, have you ever been mean to a new comer? I bet you have even if by accident. You will regret that after this.What is it to be a newcomer? Well now we have a better idea. Live and Become is perspective.Inspiration abounds; what a family story, what a childhood story, what a freedom story, the honesty of it; it is a tremendous trembling perspective. Just walking barefoot has never been so amazing.This subject is not popular, -a story about a black orphan trying to become a Jewish Israeli. Watching this story somehow becomes more private because it is so obscure. If this movie gets the audience it deserves it will diminish its uniqueness. Really worth watching but if you do keep it secret.

LibbieSnyder To Whom It May Concern: I was very moved by Live and Become. I am happy a film like this has been made, especially because it allows non-Ethiopian Israelis and non-Israeli Jews to get a glimpse into the reality of an Ethiopian immigrant's experience.Despite the wonderful qualities of Live and Become, I feel compelled to voice a complaint about the film. A film like this has great power – it has won countless awards and been viewed by millions of people around the world. The film presents itself as being factual and contemporary. For these reasons, I feel that you have a moral obligation to maintain your 'factual' and 'contemporary' agenda across the board – both for the Ethiopian experience as well as for Israel the state. You can be fictional or accurate with both or neither, but you can't pass yourself off as being true to the one, and be completely inaccurate with the other.Examples: 1) As the Ethiopian immigrants enter Israel, someone says "All the Jews in Israel are white". Including a line like this in your film makes you morally culpable in reinforcing false stereotypes about Israel. Israel has enough unjust PR against it, framing the conflict as the "colonizing white Europeans" versus the "dark-skinned, indigenous Palestinians", which makes it all too easy for the uneducated majority to take a side. If you have an opportunity to factually educate the public, why did you choose instead to maintain ignorance? Over 30% of Israelis, throughout history, have been born and raised in the Middle East (Israel and surrounding Arab countries), the Mediterranean, and Africa. Nobody talks about that fact.2) In the scene where Schlomo asks his grandfather about a just solution to the conflict, I understand your intent is to portray the French family as liberal and left-wing. But there are ways to portray those political views without again reinforcing gravely mistaken misunderstandings about the Arab-Israeli conflict. The comparison of a newly planted tree to Israel and an old tree to Palestine is outrageous – Jews have been living in the land of Israel, continuously, for over two thousand years. Unfortunately, more people these days watch movies than read books. So the audience you've reached with your film will more likely base their opinion on the Arab-Israeli conflict from the message you've presented, rather than doing their own research on Jewish presence in the land of Israel over history. For this reason, you are guilty of furthering misinformation and hostility against Israel – you have rejected, rather than seized, an opportunity to help the peace process.Given the very factual, and very contemporary, suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians, you have committed a grave mis-service to everyone involved with your misleading messages. The least you could do is remedy these scenes, and make a public statement recognizing the true constitution of Israel's population and history in the land.