IMDb > Un conte de Noël (2008)
Un conte de Noël
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Un conte de Noël (2008) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 9 | slideshow) Videos (see all 13 NEW)
Un conte de Noël (2008) -- Can a Christmastime scheme hatched by three of the youngest members of the troubled Vuillard family together for a peaceful holiday?
Un conte de Noël (2008) -- Trailer for upcoming home video release about a quirky french family
Un conte de Noël (2008) -- The Vuillard's shared history of physical and mental illness, estrangement, self harm, and loss doesn't lead itself to the idea of a cheerful holiday season. But can a Christmastime reunion, a scheme concocted by three of the youngest family members, fina
Un conte de Noël (2008) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
Un conte de Noël (2008) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   1,625 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 23% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Arnaud Desplechin
Writers:
Arnaud Desplechin (scenario and dialogue) &
Emmanuel Bourdieu (scenario and dialogue)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Christmas Tale on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 May 2008 (France) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama more
Plot:
The Vuillard's shared history of physical and mental illness, estrangement, self harm, and loss doesn't lead itself to the idea of a cheerful holiday season. But can a Christmastime reunion, a scheme concocted by three of the youngest family members, finally bring peace their clan? | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 14 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(76 articles)
Holiday Preview: Anywhere But a Movie Theater
 (From IFC. 4 November 2009, 11:14 AM, PST)

Updates: Top 50 Hottest Young Actors - Rising Stars!
 (From The Movie Fanatic. 30 September 2009, 11:19 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
James Joyce Meets Antonin Chekov more (15 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Catherine Deneuve ... Junon
Jean-Paul Roussillon ... Abel, Junon's husband
Anne Consigny ... Elizabeth, their oldest child
Mathieu Amalric ... Henri, their middle child

Melvil Poupaud ... Ivan, their youngest child
Hippolyte Girardot ... Claude, Elizabeth's husband
Emmanuelle Devos ... Faunia, Henri's lover
Chiara Mastroianni ... Sylvia, Ivan's wife
Laurent Capelluto ... Simon, Junon's nephew, the painter cousin
Emile Berling ... Paull, Elizabeth and Claude's son
Thomas Obled ... Basile, Ivan and Sylvia's son
Clément Obled ... Baptiste, Ivan and Sylvia's son
Françoise Bertin ... Rosaimée, Abel's mother's girlfriend
Samir Guesmi ... Spatafora, the family friend at Roubaix
Azize Kabouche ... Doctor Zraïdi, the oncologist
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
A Christmas Tale (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
more
Runtime:
France:150 min | USA:150 min | Argentina:150 min
Country:
France
Language:
French
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
Roubaix, Nord, France

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Continuity: When Faunia introduces herself to Abel in the foyer, she takes off her glasses and shakes his hand. In the very next shot, as Abel is greeting Henri, she removes her glasses again. more
Movie Connections:
Features The Ten Commandments (1956) more

FAQ

Did Abel cite Kant's "Vorrrede" to the "Kritik de reine Vernunft"? If so, till what part??
more
4 out of 10 people found the following comment useful.
James Joyce Meets Antonin Chekov, 1 January 2009
10/10
Author: Seamus2829 from United States

'Un Conte 'de Noel',or as it's being distributed in the U.S.A. as 'A Christmas Tale' is a very well written,directed & acted out drama, with some minor touches of comedy,but is NOT a all out comedy as it is being touted in the somewhat misleading trailer for the film. It is a tale of a highly dysfunctional French upper middle class family with enough head cases to keep any psychologist/analyst rolling in Euros for a life time. The cast is headed by a radiant Catherine Denuve (as usual)as the head of the household,who has just found out she has a potentially fatal form of bone cancer,and only a bone marrow transplant from a family member may be the only saving grace for her. The only problem: most of her children royally hate one another. The possibilities for a family reunion at Christmas only makes for a possible meltdown. The screenplay may remind one of elements of James Joyce,as well as Antonin Chekov (especially the use of metaphors,such as the occasional use of traditional Irish music on the soundtrack,as well as one of the characters who is ironically named Ivan. The film's rather long running time (two & a half hours)may remind one of certain stage plays by Irish playwright,Brian Freil (but there isn't a slack moment in the entire film---at least I didn't think so). This is a smart,cutting film that is worth seeking out. As this is an import,and is being carried by a small,independent distributor,there is no MPAA rating, but would fare little more than an PG-13 for a bit of raunchy language,some adult situations & a rather uncomfortable scene in a hospital,involving a bone marrow transplant. You may want to think twice about bringing young children (who would probably be bored with reading English subtitles,anyway)

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Un conte de Noël (2008)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Comedy comes from France are losing credits shescheating
That silly disco scene! bandy_coots
So...Elizabeth??? whiskbizqit
The Obligatory 'song in trailer' post moviemania101
Why did the sister hate the brother? hannahp1
Goof? sleff-1
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