Yom Shi Shi, 9 September 2016: I found this movie by accident, but I am so happy that I did. I wish that I had known of it in year 2005. This film is based on a true story about Ethiopian Jews suffering and dying in Ethiopia, Africa for lack of food and medical help and that eventually Israel saves them. The English title is: "Live and Become" or "Live and Become Jewish", which is about a Christian boy and his Christian mother in Ethiopia. To save her son, when the Israelis arrive to save many Ethiopian Black Jews, the mom tells her son to say that he is Jewish and go live in Israel so that he will not die in Ethiopia.The young actors, Moshe Abebe and Sirak Sabahat both playing "Solomon" at different ages and pretty Israeli actress, Yael Abecassi in the role of the adoptive mother both deserves an academy award. The entire cast was excellent. Excellent acting, excellent direction and great locations. Also it was great to hear the dialogue in Ivrit and also in Amharic, but I don't know why French is included.I also love when the young cute Jewish girl, actress, Roni Hadar started to like Solomon in spite of his dark skin. God does NOT see skin color, Elohim, Adonai, El Elyon Only see the heart and mind of people. Real Love overcomes hate, bigotry and prejudice and I think that if I had the chance to meet a pretty White Israeli Jewish woman, love and marriage would Not happen between us because I too am African Black American and I would be looked down upon because of my skin color.My favorite scenes was when Yael told him that Sarah loves him and she waited 10 years for him he better tell her that he loves her. I thought finally and the beautiful wedding scenes. But even more what I loved is the fact that Sarah loved him in spite of his skin color not born Jewish. True Love conquers all.But I wish that more White Jews and darker skin Jews (converts included) would open their hearts and minds and allow men and women to love and marry freely without all the racism. For the Jewish women and men in America that have open hearts and minds and loved and married darker skin, I say Toda La El for them.I also loved the scenes with the Jewish celebrations, music and dancing. The Israel Jewish culture of religious and non religious is very beautiful with the dancing in a large circle and celebrations.I hope that when it was originally released that it was well received and won some awards.I wish that it was release in United States. Todah Rabah.Shalom, Laila Tov ve La heet ra ot.

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.

I found this French / Israeli / Belgian / Italian film in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I read a short description before watching it, and it did sound like something worthwhile of that recommendation. Basically set in 1980 in Ethiopa the black Falashas have Christian beliefs and live in poverty, and every so on transports come into the community and take away people away to Israel, and a young boy, who is renamed Schlomo (Moshe Agazai) is sent by his Mother (Meskie Shibru-Sivan Hadar) to get on it, told to "Go, live, and become". Eventually the boy is adopted into a good family, who have no knowledge he has replaced am Ehtiopian Jewish boy who died, from the beginning he is forced to endure racism and learn the Jewish religion, he remains depressed for some time, until he is able to send a letter to his real mother. Schlomo as a teenager (Moshe Abebe) seems to have become accustomed to the adoptive family, but he still struggles with the Jewish ways, and he finds himself falling in love with Sara (Roni Hadar), but her father is an extreme racist, he tries to gain "real Jewishness" competing in a Bible interpretation competition, but this makes no difference to the father's attitude. Disappointed he decides to himself into the police explaining that he is a Falasha and not Jewish, but he is ignored and his adoptive parents send him to study medicine in France, it is there that he and Sara get married, her family are taken from her, but in the circumstances Schlomo will not reveal his true identity until she becomes pregnant. Sara does find out his true origins, she leaves him not for his deception but for believing that she would not have trusted or loved him anyway, but the adoptive mother helps them reconcile, but Schlomo is given a condition by Sara, he must meet his real mother again, as a doctor he does find the way to return to Ethiopa fugitive camp, in the end Schlomo and his mother do have an emotional reunion. Also starring Yaël Abecassis as Yael Harrari, Roschdy Zem as Yoram Harrari, Sirak M. Sabahat as Schlomo as an adult and Yitzhak Edgar as Qès Amara. I have seen these kind of films before, someone bing forced to go against their beliefs to fit into a new society or family, the racial tension and religion clashes do add to what could have been a predictable story, and the inclusion of hard hitting moments of human poverty is also moving, it is certainly a worthwhile drama film. Good!

The story told during the internationally-produced film "Live and Become," is, beyond any doubt, touching; nay, it is heart-wrenching. To witness even a fictionalized version of the poverty suffered by the starving Ethiopeans in the opening scenes of the film; of the fears and challenges of a child coming of age in a strange country; and of the social and religious complexities faced by Ethiopean Jews living in Israel is at once horrifying, confounding, and inspiring. If one has the chance to see this film, do so without hesitation, for the story it tells is one to which all should pay great attention.Despite its important story that promotes diversity, "Live and Become" falls short cinematically. From the first establishing crane shot, through the shot-counter-shot narrative, to the extremely disappointing final scene in which the director employs both slow-motion and a frustratingly melodramatic overhead shot, the direction, cinematography, and editing feel very slick, even Hollywood-esquire at times. While such technique is merely bland and predictable in most films, in this case it is particularly disappointing, given the very urgent and very real content of the film: the final cut would have benefited greatly from the directors pursuing a realist aesthetic, which would have impressed the audience more with the gravity of narrative.The acting, however, is quite impressive, especially that of the non-professionals: Yitzhak Edgar and Moshe Agazai. Equally impressive is the performance of Yaël Abecassis.Finally, the score, which I generally find to be the most overrated (and usually unnecessary) element in contemporary cinema, is subtle at times, but, at others, throbs operatically, detracting greatly from the poignancy of many of the more touching and inspiring moments in the narrative.In short, "Live and Become" is clearly not aimed at spurring audiences to social activism through cinematic means; it accomplishes this end through the narrative, which, while effective, would have been enhanced greatly had the filmmakers chosen a more realistic style throughout the work.