Joyeux Noël

I know that I've already announced the showtimes for the French film Joyeux Noël, but this movie deserves more than a quick blurb (as do most of the films they show at International Cinema, really). Released in 2005, Joyeux Noël was nominated for a host of well deserved film awards for acting, music, costumes, as well as best film for director Christian Carion. It is based on a true story of a group of French, Scottish, and German soldiers who decided on an unofficial cease fire Christmas Eve 1914. This film should be particularly interesting for American viewers, since World War I is often just a passing paragraph or two on the way to World War II. Joyeux Noël is an excellent portrayal of the war that was supposed to end all wars.



The storyline begins simply enough: war is declared, and young men are called from their homes and families to the trenches. Their dreams of glory and excitement are destroyed in the bitter cold of winter, hiding from artillery and machine gun fire in the trenches. On Christmas Eve they decide that just for one night they could stop the fighting . They meet together to sing, eat, drink, celebrate Mass, and even enjoy a game of soccer (or a football match, whichever you prefer). But what happens after Christmas? It's one thing to shell a mysterious enemy hidden in the opposite trench, but what about someone you've spent time with? Despite the title, Joyeux Noël is about far more than Christmas. This is a story about the worst and the best in human nature: the horrors of war, vengeance, and unreasoning hatred, contrasted with forgiveness, compassion, and sacrifice.

If you haven't see it yet there are still a few showings this week: 5 pm and 10 pm on Friday, and 1:30 pm on Saturday.