Joyeux Noel 2005

Christmas isn’t usually the best time to watch a tense war drama, but there were some Christmases where war was still active, including, of course, the Great War. Joyeux Noel (or Merry Christmas in French) depicts one such time. Of course, as a depiction of a real historical event, it’s possible that you might have already heard about the Christmas truce of 1914. However, there’s something extraordinary about the way writer-director Christian Carion depicts the humanity shared by all fronts, the very humanity that made such a miracle possible. With the awards it won, it’s easy for those who haven’t watched this drama as mere Oscar bait, but Joyeux Noel balances each side, each country, and each language with care, turning this international co-production into a miracle of its own.