Live and Become

Set against the perilous airlift that brought Ethiopian Jews to Israel, Live and Become follows a mother's radical act to preserve a memory. On the eve of a secret evacuation, tragedy strikes when her own son dies; in a bold act of love she takes in a nine-year-old boy from a different faith and raises him as Schlomo, presenting him as her son. The boy grows up in a world split between two cultures and two faiths, learning a new language, customs, and expectations while carrying the doubt about whose blood and name he bears. As Schlomo enters adolescence, the pressure of origins presses in, challenging loyalties to family, religion, and the life he is building in Israel. The narrative moves between Addis Ababa and Tel Aviv, capturing the texture of both cities.

Directed by Radu Mihăileanu, Live and Become premiered in 2005 as a Franco Israeli drama drawing on real events about Ethiopian Jewish refugees. The screenplay credits Mihăileanu with Alain-Michel Blanc as co writer, framing a human story with social and political echoes.

Awards: The film earned recognition at international festivals for its sensitive portrayal and performances. It was noted for tackling memory, identity, and belonging with restraint and empathy, earning nominations and audience prizes that underscored its artistic reach beyond its modest box office.

Cultural Impact: Critics and audiences responded to the film as a quiet meditation on exile and the making of family. The emotional core centers on what it means to belong and be loyal, even when origins blur, and the film sparked conversations about diaspora memory, migration pressures, and the immigrant experience in Israel.

Reception & Themes: Reception emphasized a restrained, humane approach to big questions about identity, faith, and parental love. The movie invites viewers to weigh where someone truly belongs and how memory shapes who we become, offering a humane portrait of resilience amid upheaval.