Joyeux Noël
Autumn 2006 Main series
Sunday, November 12, 2006 at 4:00pm
Sunday, November 12, 2006 at 7:00pm
Monday, November 13, 2006 at 7:00pm
Acadia Cinema's Al Whittle Theatre
450 Main Street, Wolfville, NS
Directed by Christian Carion
Starring Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Dany Boon, Gary Lewis, Daniel Brühl, Alex Ferns, Steven Robertson
Rated NR ·
1h 56m
France
French / German / English / Latin
When war broke out in the summer of 1914, it took Europe by surprise and drew millions of men into battle. Nikolaus Sprink (Benno Fürmann), tenor at the Berlin Opera House, gives up his prestigious career and the one he loves: Danish soprano Anna Sorensen (Diane Kruger), his singing partner. Palmer (Gary Lewis, Billy Elliot), an Anglican priest, has volunteered alongside his young church aide, Jonathan (Steven Robertson, Kingdom of Heaven). They leave Scotland, one as a soldier, the other as a stretcher-bearer. Lieutenant Audebert (Guillaume Canet, Love Me If You Dare) has been drawn into battle, leaving his young wife pregnant and bedridden. But German troops now occupy the small town of Northern France where the young bride has given birth — unless the worst has happened.
Christmas arrives, the Western Front is sprinkled with snow and generous parcels from anxious families arrive for the French, Scottish and German troops in their trenches. But the most marvellous gift of December 24, 1914 is an event that will alter the destinies of Nikolaus, Anna, Palmer and Audebert. The unthinkable will happen. Rifles will be left behind as the soldiers leave their trenches carrying candles in an informal and unauthorized truce — to share a fleeting brotherhood with those opposite, shake their hands, exchange a cigarette or a piece of chocolate, and wish them “Merry Christmas”.
Joyeux Noël, a dramatization of the true occurrences on December 24, 1914, was nominated for the 2006 Best Foreign Film at both the Oscars and the Golden Globes.