Live and Become
A displaced Ethiopian boy builds a new life in Israel while searching for belonging, love, and the mother he was forced to leave behind.
Overview
A poignant journey of identity and belonging unfolds as a young boy navigates love and loss across cultures.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- poignant
- earnest
- melancholic
- reflective evening
- international cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an emotionally powerful and humane account of Ethiopian Jewish displacement, identity, racism, and family.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Schlomo adopts the identity and name of a Jewish child while privately knowing he is Christian and Ethiopian.
The story begins with the secret transport of Ethiopian Falashas to Israel during Operation Moses and later returns to a fugitive camp.
Schlomo faces racism and religious exclusion in Israel while also being separated from his Ethiopian origins and biological mother.
Schlomo's concealed identity strains his marriage to Sarah, forcing both partners to confront whether love can survive inherited categories.
Films like Live and Become, and why
The Namesake
shared themes of displacement, cultural identity, adoption, and emotionally expansive historical drama
In America
shared immigrant identity conflict, family separation, and poignant cross-cultural drama
The Visitor
shared refugee experience, racial prejudice, and intimate humanist storytelling
The Kite Runner
shared historical displacement, intergenerational trauma, and sweeping romantic drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Radu Mihăileanu
- Release Date
- 2005-03-30
- Runtime
- 140 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (206)
Cast
- Moshe Abebe
- Moshe Agazai
- Sirak M. Sabahat
- Roni Hadar
- Yaël Abecassis
- Roschdy Zem
- Yitzhak Edgar
- Rami Danon
- Meskie Shibru Sivan
- Mimi Abonesh Kebede
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Chai Flicks
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Live and Become about?
- A displaced Ethiopian boy builds a new life in Israel while searching for belonging, love, and the mother he was forced to leave behind.
- What is Live and Become like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Live and Become as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Live and Become violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Live and Become.
- What did critics think of Live and Become?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an emotionally powerful and humane account of Ethiopian Jewish displacement, identity, racism, and family.
- Which films are like Live and Become?
- Films with a similar feel include The Namesake, In America, The Visitor, and The Kite Runner.
- How long is Live and Become?
- Live and Become runs 140 minutes.
- Where can I watch Live and Become?
- In United States, Live and Become streams on Chai Flicks.
