Joyeux Noel (2005)

In December 1914, an unofficial Christmas truce on the Western Front allows soldiers from opposing sides of the First World War to gain insight into each other's way of life.

Director:

Christian Carion

Writer:

Christian Carion

Stars:

Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Diane Kruger	...	Anna Sörensen (as Diane Krüger)
Natalie Dessay	...	Anna Sörensen (singing voice)
Benno Fürmann	...	Nikolaus Sprink
Rolando Villazón	...	Nikolaus Sprink (singing voice) (as Rolando Villazon)
Guillaume Canet	...	Le lieutenant Audebert
Gary Lewis	...	le pasteur Palmer
Dany Boon	...	Ponchel
Daniel Brühl	...	le lieutenant Horstmayer
Lucas Belvaux	...	Gueusselin
Alex Ferns	...	Le lieutenant Gordon
Steven Robertson	...	Jonathan
Frank Witter	...	Jörg - un soldat allemand
Bernard Le Coq	...	Le général Audebert
Ian Richardson	...	L'évêque anglais
Thomas Schmauser	...	Le Kronprinz

Storyline

In 1914, World War I, the bloodiest war ever at that time in human history, was well under way. However on Christmas Eve, numerous sections of the Western Front called an informal, and unauthorized, truce where the various front-line soldiers of the conflict peacefully met each other in No Man's Land to share a precious pause in the carnage with a fleeting brotherhood. This film dramatizes one such section as the French, Scottish and German sides partake in the unique event, even though they are aware that their superiors will not tolerate its occurrence.

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Plot Keywords:

soldier | christmas | world war one | truce | christmas eve | 

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Taglines:

Christmas Eve, 1914. On a World War I battlefield, a Momentous Event changed the lives of soldiers from France, Germany and England.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Music | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for some war violence and a brief scene of sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site UGC Distribution / Nord-Ouest Production [France]

Country:

France Germany UK Belgium Romania Norway Japan USA

Language:

French German English Latin

Release Date:

9 November 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

Joyeux Noel

Filming Locations:

Romania

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,413,005 (France), 11 November 2005

Opening Weekend USA:

$42,732, 5 March 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,054,361, 6 July 2006

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,589,013, 14 November 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nord-Ouest Productions,Senator Film Produktion,The Bureau

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Towards the end of the film Major General Audebert says "i've been ordered to arrest a cat for treason", A cat portrayed in the film as Felix/Nestor, was actually arrested and shot for espionage after it arrived in French lines wearing a new collar and bearing a note (in french) which read "which regiment are you from?". The general in charge decided just to follow the letter of the law, the cat was shot for spying.

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Goofs

Snow around the fresh graves, but not on the graves. When the graves were dug, where did they put the dirt so as not to disturb the surrounding snow? And if it snowed since the graves were dug, why is there no snow on the graves?

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Quotes

[first lines]
Enfant francais: Child, upon these maps do heed This black stain to be effaced Omitting it, you would proceed Yet better it in red to trace Later, whatever may come to pass Promise there to go you must To fetch the children of Alsace Reaching out their arms to us May in our fondest France Hope's green saplings to branch And in you, dear child, flower Grow, grow, France awaits its hour.
Enfant anglais: To rid the map of every trace Of Germany and of the Hun We must exterminate that race We must not leave a single ...
[...]

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Connections

References Paths of Glory (1957)

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Soundtracks

Auld Lang Syne
Scottish traditional
Words adapted by Robert Burns

User Reviews

Destined to be a Christmas classic

Thanks to a special showing as one of the events to mark the centenary of the Alliance Française in Canada's capital, I had the privilege of attending a North American premiere of this remarkable film just two days before today Remembrance Day (Veterans Day in the U.S.) Both an appropriate theme and a cinematic Christmas gift come early. I think it may become my top film among several hundred seen this year, just as A Very Long Engagement - also set in the trenches of the First World War - captured my heart and critic's choice last December. Writer-director Christian Carion and all the actors do an amazing job in this multi-country Euro co-production. It should appeal not only to audiences across that continent but to film goers around the world. In addition to presenting a parable from real life relevant for any war-torn age, including our own I might add, Carion works wonders with front-line incidents great and small while drawing compelling individual character portraits from a top notch Scots, French and German cast, each speaking in their native language and accents. That goes for even relatively smaller roles: for example, that of the junior German officer at the front, Lieutenant Horstmayer (ironically a Jew who recalls a Paris honeymoon with his French-speaking wife), as played by the superb young actor Daniel Brühl (Goodbye Lenin, The Edukators). There is so much more that could be said about this remarkable and timely movie with a timeless message. Even had France not chosen Joyeux Nöel as its selection for the 2006 Oscar best foreign-language film category, I would herald it and rejoice in the advent of a new classic that is in another class altogether from the general run of "holiday movies". A story of harsh truths as well as transcendent art, it finds humanity and hope in the midst of battlefield horrors. Seasonal glad tidings indeed!