''A Christmas Tale'' (french: link=no, Un conte de Noël) is a 2008 French

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

comedy-drama film co-written and directed by

Arnaud Desplechin Arnaud Desplechin (; born 31 October 1960) is a French film director and screenwriter. In 2016, he won the César Award for Best Director for ''My Golden Days'' (2015). Life and career Desplechin was born in Roubaix. He is the son of Robert and ...

, starring

Catherine Deneuve Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model, and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recogni ...

Jean-Paul Roussillon Jean-Paul Roussillon (5 March 1931 – 31 July 2009) was a French actor. He appeared in more than 80 films and television shows between 1954 and 2008. He starred in the film '' Playing 'In the Company of Men, which was screened in the Un C ...

Mathieu Amalric Mathieu Amalric (; born 25 October 1965) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known internationally for his roles in the James Bond film '' Quantum of Solace'', in which he played the lead villain, Steven Spielberg's ''Munich'', Wes An ...

Anne Consigny Anne Consigny (; born 25 May 1963) is a French actress who has been active since 1981. She received a César Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in the film '' Not Here to Be Loved'' (2005). She is also known for her role as Claude in ...

Melvil Poupaud Melvil Poupaud (born 26 January 1973) is a French actor, author and filmmaker. Career Poupaud's first appearance was, as a child, in Raúl Ruiz's 1983 film '' City of Pirates''. He met Ruiz through his mother, Chantal Poupaud, who was a well-kn ...

Emmanuelle Devos Emmanuelle Devos (born 10 May 1964) is a French actress. She is the daughter of actress Marie Henriau. She won the César Award for Best Actress in 2002 for her performance in ''Sur mes lèvres'', directed by Jacques Audiard. She has also bee ...

and Chiara Mastroianni. It tells the story of a family with strained relationships which gathers at the parents' home for

, having just learned that their mother has

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...

. It was in competition for the

Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

at the

2008 Cannes Film Festival The 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 14 to 25 May 2008. The President of the Official Jury was American actor and director Sean Penn. Twenty two films from fourteen countries were selected to compete for the ''Palme d'Or''. The awards ...

Plot

Roubaix Roubaix ( or ; nl, Robaais; vls, Roboais) is a city in northern France, located in the Lille metropolitan area on the Belgian border. It is a historically mono-industrial commune in the Nord department, which grew rapidly in the 19th century ...

, December 2006. Junon Vuillard, married to Abel, is the iron-willed matriarch of the family. Junon held her family together through tough times, but her willpower made her children resentful. She remains handsome, and though her husband is obese and elderly, he retains clarity, acceptance, tolerance, and unconditional love for his family. He and their mutual love holds a fragmented family together, albeit uneasily. They have three children in their 30s. The eldest is Elizabeth, a successful playwright married to the equally successful Claude. Their only child, 16-year-old Paul, is mentally ill and takes strong medication. The middle child is Henri, who drinks too much and has always fought with everyone else. He has a new girlfriend, Faunia. Ivan is the youngest sibling, married to Sylvia with two sons, Basile and Baptiste. Henri and Ivan are friends with Simon, a cousin who was raised with them after his parents' death. Simon works in Abel's plant, but is a part-time artist. He is an alcoholic, frequently in trouble for public brawling. All three men were interested in Sylvia once, but manipulated her to think that only Ivan loved her; she married and grew to love him. A deceased sibling, Joseph, is the presence around which everyone's psyches revolve: he died of leukemia at age six, after his parents tried to save him by having another child who might be a bone marrow donor. Six years before the family's latest Christmas gathering, Henri faced bankruptcy. Elizabeth paid off his debts, but demanded that he never see her again, meaning he had to be excluded from family gatherings. Family members speculate on the reason Elizabeth set this condition. Just before Christmas, Junon learns she has

acute myeloid leukemia Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal cells that build up in the bone marrow and blood and interfere with normal blood cell production. Symptoms may inclu ...

and will soon die unless she undergoes a bone marrow transplant. Her extended family gathers at her home and immediately start bickering. Junon has asked them to be tested to see if they qualify to donate their bone marrow. Elizabeth fights with Henri, who drinks heavily and hides Paul's medication. Paul fears the blood test might reveal Claude is not his biological father. Henri refuses the test, because he never loved his mother. Faunia has agreed to visit before leaving to spend the holiday with her own family. Her honesty and gentleness soothe Henri, and she stays for two days. On 23 December, Rosaimée visits for dinner and fireworks. She was Abel's mother's friend, although it is suggested that they were lesbian lovers. Rosaimée tells Sylvia that Simon stopped seeing Sylvia because he believed she would be happier with Ivan. Sylvia feels betrayed and manipulated. Henri is tested, discovers he qualifies as a donor, and decides he wants to. Simon begins drinking heavily in cafes, and the family searches for him. Sylvia finds him and confesses that she knows he loves her. She and Simon spend several hours talking, then return to the house and have sex. Paul tells Henri about his fears. Henri convinces him that he is not his father, confirmed by the test, and reassures Paul that it is not a failing to be afraid. They bond, and Paul's mental condition improves. On Christmas Day, Abel and Elizabeth discuss Elizabeth's longstanding depression, and Abel reads her the prologue to

Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (; or ; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, prose poet, cultural critic, philologist, and composer whose work has exerted a profound influence on contemporary philosophy. He began his ...

's ''

On the Genealogy of Morality ''On the Genealogy of Morality: A Polemic'' (german: Zur Genealogie der Moral: Eine Streitschrift) is an 1887 book by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It consists of a preface and three interrelated treatises ('Abhandlungen' in German) that ...

'', which discusses how well people know or do not know themselves. Abel suggests that Elizabeth fears death, and this has led to her caution and depression. Ivan discovers Sylvia has had sex with Simon. They made no effort to hide it, waking up together in bed and greeting her children as they come bearing tea. Ivan seems hardly to respond, as though he has expected it. Paul stays behind with Henri, who is having a positive effect on his mental health. Henri donates his bone marrow to Junon, but she announces her conviction that her body will reject the transplant. Elizabeth speculates that Junon will live, while Henri flips a coin in the hospital in front of his mother, but does not reveal the result.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

Top ten lists

The film appeared on many critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2008. *1st — Andrew O'Hehir, '' Salon'' *1st — Dana Stevens, '' Slate'' *1st — Josh Rosenblatt, ''

The Austin Chronicle ''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogr ...

'' *1st — Rick Groen, ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'' *1st — Sean Axmaker, ''

Seattle Post-Intelligencer The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States. The newspaper was f ...

'' *1st —

Shawn Levy Shawn Adam Levy (born July 23, 1968) is a Canadian film director, film producer, actor, and founder of 21 Laps Entertainment. He has worked across genres and is perhaps best known as the director of the '' Night at the Museum'' film franchise an ...

, ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 18 ...

'' *2nd —

Kenneth Turan Kenneth Turan (; born October 27, 1946) is an American retired film critic, author, and lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California. He was a film critic for the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1991 ...

, ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' (tied with '' The Class'') *2nd — Kimberly Jones, ''

'' *2nd — Stephanie Zacharek, '' Salon'' *3rd — Michael Phillips, ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'' *4th —

Lou Lumenick Louis J. Lumenick (born September 11, 1949) is an American film critic. He was the chief film critic and film editor for the ''New York Post'' where he reviewed films from 1999 until his retirement in 2016. He is currently researching the histor ...

, ''

New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...

'' *5th —

Ella Taylor Ella Taylor is a film critic who was a staff writer for the ''LA Weekly'' and Village Voice Media, writing film and book reviews, interviews, profiles, and cultural and political commentary from 1989 to 2009, when she and much of the staff were la ...

, '' LA Weekly'' (tied with '' The Class'') *6th — Dennis Harvey, ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' *7th — Scott Foundas, '' LA Weekly'' (tied with '' The Secret of the Grain'') *7th — Stephen Holden, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' *8th — Liam Lacey, ''

'' *10th — Robert Mondello, ''

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

Accolades

* Broadcast Film Critics (USA) **Nominated:

Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

(France) **Nominated:

Golden Palm The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

(Arnaud Desplechin) *

César Awards The César Award is the national film award of France. It is delivered in the ' ceremony and was first awarded in 1976. The nominations are selected by the members of twelve categories of filmmaking professionals and supported by the French Min ...

(France) **Won: Best Actor – Supporting Role (Jean-Paul Roussillon) **Nominated: Best Actress – Supporting Role (Anne Consigny) **Nominated: Best Cinematography (Eric Gautier) **Nominated:

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...

(Arnaud Desplechin) **Nominated: Best Editing (Laurence Briaud) **Nominated:

Best Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

**Nominated: Best Sound (Nicolas Cantin, Jean-Pierre Laforce and Sylvain Malbrant) **Nominated: Best Writing – Original (Emmanuel Bourdieu and Arnaud Desplechin) **Nominated: Most Promising Actor (Laurent Capelluto) * Chicago Film Critics (USA) **Nominated:

* Christmas Gifts (France) **Won: Best Director (Arnaud Desplechin) *

Online Film Critics Society The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) is an international professional association of online film journalists, historians and scholars who publish their work on the World Wide Web. The organization was founded in January 1997 by Harvey S. Karte ...

(USA) **Nominated:

* Satellite Awards (USA) **Nominated: Best Actress – Musical or Comedy (Catherine Deneuve)

References

External links

* * * *
''A Christmas Tale: The Inescapable Family''
– an essay by

Phillip Lopate Phillip Lopate (born 1943) is an American film critic, essayist, fiction writer, poet, and teacher. He is the younger brother of radio host Leonard Lopate. Early life Phillip Lopate was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated with a BA degr ...

The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home video, home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scho ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Tale, A 2008 films 2008 comedy-drama films 2000s Christmas comedy-drama films 2000s French films 2000s French-language films Films about cancer in France Films about dysfunctional families Films directed by Arnaud Desplechin Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor César Award-winning performance Films set in 2006 Films set in Hauts-de-France Films shot in Lille Films with screenplays by Arnaud Desplechin France 2 Cinéma films French Christmas comedy-drama films Wild Bunch (company) films

Plot

Cast

Reception

Critical response

Top ten lists

Accolades

See also

References

External links