Christmas Movie Advent Calendar Day 6: Joyeux Noel

Joyeux Noel movie sceneAt No. 20 in our Top 25 Christmas movies list, we have a foreign film. It’s the only foreign-language film in our list, and it’s worthy.

2005 drama Joyeux Noel tells the story of soldiers on opposing sides who call a truce on Christmas Eve and meet in peace. Best of all, it’s based on a true story. On Christmas Eve in 1914, during World War I, French, Scottish and German soldiers on the Western Front called an informal and unauthorized truce then met peacefully in a neutral No Man’s Land, even though they were aware their superiors would not approve.

As the film’s tagline says: “Without an enemy, there can be no war.”

The PG-13 movie stars Diane Kruger (National Treasure, Inglourious Basterds), Guillaume Canet (The Beach), Gary Lewis (Billy Elliot, Valhalla Rising) and Dany Boon (Micmacs).

The film, which had a limited run in theaters, was nominated for a best foreign-language movie Oscar.

The movie is in English and French, but don’t worry, there are English subtitles or you can listen to the dialog in full English with the dubbed version. But we recommend the subtitles; French just sounds so nice.

Joyeux Noel is available on DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Check out the rest of Disc Dish‘s Christmas Movie Advent Calendar.

About S. Clark

Sam Clark is the former Managing Editor/Online Editor of Video Business magazine. With 19 years experience in journalism, 12 in the home entertainment industry, Sam has been hooked on movies on since she saw E.T. then stared into the sky waiting to meet her own friendly alien. Thanks to her husband’s shared love of movies, Sam reviews Blu-ray discs in a true home theater, with a 118-inch screen, projector and cushy recliners with cup holders.