477:
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.
493:
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
1225:
1209:
1190:
1174:
32:
473:, 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.
492:
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
488:
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.
506:
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.
476:
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.
140:
489:
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.
480:
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.
507:
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.
1464:
1032:
876:
984:
1016:
503:, 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.
1484:
1289:
602:
571:
992:
608:
1337:
596:
1494:
1459:
1305:
1454:
1434:
1267:
1127:
919:
1353:
912:
967:
96:
926:
1474:
1449:
1321:
68:
1444:
1499:
75:
1230:
868:
115:
49:
1489:
1429:
976:
933:
639:
82:
1260:
20:
960:
940:
1393:
53:
64:
953:
1479:
499:
947:
1439:
1008:
1469:
1253:
713:
884:
771:
459:
341:
446:. It tells the story of a family with strained relationships which gathers at the parents' home for
1504:
1297:
1240:
1047:
817:
42:
1196:
485:
89:
1385:
1214:
846:
794:
743:
684:
1137:
752:
697:
523:
423:
300:
218:
8:
1424:
494:
290:
1224:
1208:
1189:
584:
576:
1369:
1173:
838:
830:
803:
720:
705:
559:
541:
443:
243:
1245:
295:
1277:
1168:
737:
613:
565:
517:
419:
415:
213:
189:
173:
1024:
689:
553:
439:
238:
1329:
1220:
1072:
1067:
776:
535:
427:
223:
154:
901:
1361:
1236:
825:
644:
547:
435:
408:
233:
1418:
732:
725:
529:
455:
431:
228:
666:
The film appeared on many critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2008.
635:
590:
411:
256:
1401:
1313:
1179:
892:
783:
1201:
1162:
1465:
Films featuring a Best
Supporting Actor CĂ©sar Award-winning performance
1132:
139:
1377:
811:
788:
760:
677:
447:
305:
31:
1185:
451:
470:
956:(Nicolas Cantin, Jean-Pierre Laforce and Sylvain Malbrant)
19:
This article is about the 2008 film. For other uses, see
1275:
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1416:
1261:
648:. Vol. 84, no. 38. pp. 130–131
1306:My Sex Life... or How I Got into an Argument
1128:"Metacritic: 2008 Film Critic Top Ten Lists"
484:Just before Christmas, Junon learns she has
450:, having just learned that their mother has
1485:Films with screenplays by Arnaud Desplechin
1268:
1254:
1223:
1207:
1188:
1172:
1122:
1120:
1118:
1116:
1114:
1112:
1110:
138:
1354:Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian
1108:
1106:
1104:
1102:
1100:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1092:
1090:
963:(Emmanuel Bourdieu and Arnaud Desplechin)
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
1232:A Christmas Tale: The Inescapable Family
1417:
1087:
1249:
1033:Best Actress – Musical or Comedy
669:
634:
628:
54:adding citations to reliable sources
25:
1495:French Christmas comedy-drama films
1460:Films directed by Arnaud Desplechin
1002:: Best Director (Arnaud Desplechin)
920:Best Actress – Supporting Role
13:
1455:Films about dysfunctional families
1435:2000s Christmas comedy-drama films
14:
1516:
1156:
913:Best Actor – Supporting Role
661:
640:"The Current Cinema: Hard Times"
454:. It was in competition for the
414:film co-written and directed by
30:
1322:Playing 'In the Company of Men'
758:2nd — Stephanie Zacharek,
41:needs additional citations for
1060:
16:2008 film by Arnaud Desplechin
1:
1053:
844:10th — Robert Mondello,
1475:Films set in Hauts-de-France
1450:Films about cancer in France
961:Best Writing – Original
861:
695:1st — Josh Rosenblatt,
623:
500:On the Genealogy of Morality
7:
1445:2000s French-language films
1041:
1009:Online Film Critics Society
750:2nd — Kimberly Jones,
675:1st — Andrew O'Hehir,
10:
1521:
1500:Wild Bunch (company) films
1017:Best Foreign Language Film
985:Best Foreign Language Film
877:Best Foreign Language Film
809:7th — Scott Foundas,
801:6th — Dennis Harvey,
714:Seattle Post-Intelligencer
18:
1284:
1068:"A Christmas Tale (2008)"
711:1st — Sean Axmaker,
460:2008 Cannes Film Festival
388:
380:
372:
362:
323:
315:
278:
270:
262:
252:
206:
198:
179:
169:
165:
153:
149:
144:Theatrical release poster
137:
132:
1241:The Criterion Collection
599:as Basile "Baz" Vuillard
1430:2008 comedy-drama films
1048:List of Christmas films
836:8th — Liam Lacey,
818:The Secret of the Grain
703:1st — Rick Groen,
510:
465:
915:(Jean-Paul Roussillon)
869:Broadcast Film Critics
486:acute myeloid leukemia
404:
1490:France 2 Cinéma films
347:21 May 2008
332:16 May 2008
977:Chicago Film Critics
968:Most Promising Actor
885:Cannes Film Festival
753:The Austin Chronicle
698:The Austin Chronicle
638:(24 November 2008).
605:as Baptiste Vuillard
587:as Rosaimée Vuillard
532:as Elizabeth DĂ©dalus
524:Jean-Paul Roussillon
424:Jean-Paul Roussillon
219:Jean-Paul Roussillon
50:improve this article
1480:Films shot in Lille
1035:(Catherine Deneuve)
970:(Laurent Capelluto)
936:(Arnaud Desplechin)
927:Best Cinematography
895:(Arnaud Desplechin)
495:Friedrich Nietzsche
407:) is a 2008 French
291:Why Not Productions
1440:2000s French films
1394:Brother and Sister
1276:Films directed by
839:The Globe and Mail
831:The New York Times
706:The Globe and Mail
560:Hippolyte Girardot
544:as Sylvia Vuillard
542:Chiara Mastroianni
444:Chiara Mastroianni
244:Chiara Mastroianni
65:"A Christmas Tale"
1470:Films set in 2006
1412:
1411:
1278:Arnaud Desplechin
1140:on 2 January 2009
943:(Laurence Briaud)
858:
857:
738:Los Angeles Times
629:Critical response
566:Laurent Capelluto
562:as Claude DĂ©dalus
538:as Henri Vuillard
520:as Junon Vuillard
518:Catherine Deneuve
420:Catherine Deneuve
416:Arnaud Desplechin
396:
395:
214:Catherine Deneuve
202:Pascal Caucheteux
190:Emmanuel Bourdieu
186:Arnaud Desplechin
174:Arnaud Desplechin
126:
125:
118:
100:
1512:
1346:A Christmas Tale
1290:La Vie des morts
1270:
1263:
1256:
1247:
1246:
1227:
1216:A Christmas Tale
1211:
1206:
1197:A Christmas Tale
1192:
1181:A Christmas Tale
1176:
1164:A Christmas Tale
1150:
1149:
1147:
1145:
1136:. Archived from
1124:
1085:
1084:
1082:
1080:
1064:
1025:Satellite Awards
772:Michael Phillips
670:
657:
655:
653:
617:
585:Françoise Bertin
580:
554:Emmanuelle Devos
550:as Ivan Vuillard
440:Emmanuelle Devos
405:Un conte de Noël
400:A Christmas Tale
354:
352:
339:
337:
239:Emmanuelle Devos
160:Un conte de Noël
142:
133:A Christmas Tale
130:
129:
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
58:
34:
26:
1520:
1519:
1515:
1514:
1513:
1511:
1510:
1509:
1505:BAC Films films
1415:
1414:
1413:
1408:
1370:Ismael's Ghosts
1330:Kings and Queen
1280:
1274:
1221:Rotten Tomatoes
1204:
1159:
1154:
1153:
1143:
1141:
1126:
1125:
1088:
1078:
1076:
1073:Box Office Mojo
1066:
1065:
1061:
1056:
1044:
993:Christmas Gifts
922:(Anne Consigny)
864:
859:
777:Chicago Tribune
664:
651:
649:
631:
626:
621:
611:
581:as Paul DĂ©dalus
574:
536:Mathieu Amalric
513:
468:
428:Mathieu Amalric
365:
358:
350:
348:
335:
333:
326:
311:
310:
296:France 2 Cinéma
283:
281:
274:Grégoire Hetzel
266:Laurence Briaud
248:
224:Mathieu Amalric
194:
145:
122:
111:
105:
102:
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1518:
1508:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1410:
1409:
1407:
1406:
1398:
1390:
1382:
1374:
1366:
1362:My Golden Days
1358:
1350:
1342:
1334:
1326:
1318:
1310:
1302:
1294:
1285:
1282:
1281:
1273:
1272:
1265:
1258:
1250:
1244:
1243:
1237:Phillip Lopate
1235:– an essay by
1228:
1212:
1193:
1177:
1158:
1157:External links
1155:
1152:
1151:
1086:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1050:
1043:
1040:
1039:
1038:
1037:
1036:
1021:
1020:
1019:
1005:
1004:
1003:
989:
988:
987:
973:
972:
971:
964:
957:
950:
944:
937:
930:
929:(Eric Gautier)
923:
916:
898:
897:
896:
881:
880:
879:
863:
860:
856:
855:
851:
850:
842:
834:
826:Stephen Holden
822:
807:
799:
780:
766:
765:
764:
756:
748:
729:
717:
709:
701:
693:
681:
668:
663:
660:
659:
658:
645:The New Yorker
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
619:
609:Azize Kabouche
606:
600:
594:
588:
582:
569:
563:
557:
551:
548:Melvil Poupaud
545:
539:
533:
527:
521:
514:
512:
509:
467:
464:
436:Melvil Poupaud
394:
393:
390:
386:
385:
382:
378:
377:
374:
370:
369:
366:
363:
360:
359:
357:
356:
345:
329:
327:
324:
321:
320:
317:
316:Distributed by
313:
312:
309:
308:
303:
298:
293:
287:
286:
284:
279:
276:
275:
272:
268:
267:
264:
260:
259:
254:
253:Cinematography
250:
249:
247:
246:
241:
236:
234:Melvil Poupaud
231:
226:
221:
216:
210:
208:
204:
203:
200:
196:
195:
193:
192:
187:
183:
181:
177:
176:
171:
167:
166:
163:
162:
157:
151:
150:
147:
146:
143:
135:
134:
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
21:Christmas Tale
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1517:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1441:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1422:
1420:
1404:
1403:
1399:
1396:
1395:
1391:
1388:
1387:
1383:
1380:
1379:
1375:
1372:
1371:
1367:
1364:
1363:
1359:
1356:
1355:
1351:
1348:
1347:
1343:
1340:
1339:
1335:
1332:
1331:
1327:
1324:
1323:
1319:
1316:
1315:
1311:
1308:
1307:
1303:
1300:
1299:
1295:
1292:
1291:
1287:
1286:
1283:
1279:
1271:
1266:
1264:
1259:
1257:
1252:
1251:
1248:
1242:
1238:
1234:
1233:
1229:
1226:
1222:
1218:
1217:
1213:
1210:
1203:
1199:
1198:
1194:
1191:
1187:
1183:
1182:
1178:
1175:
1170:
1166:
1165:
1161:
1160:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1129:
1123:
1121:
1119:
1117:
1115:
1113:
1111:
1109:
1107:
1105:
1103:
1101:
1099:
1097:
1095:
1093:
1091:
1075:
1074:
1069:
1063:
1059:
1049:
1046:
1045:
1034:
1030:
1029:
1027:
1026:
1022:
1018:
1014:
1013:
1011:
1010:
1006:
1001:
998:
997:
995:
994:
990:
986:
982:
981:
979:
978:
974:
969:
965:
962:
958:
955:
951:
949:
945:
942:
938:
935:
934:Best Director
931:
928:
924:
921:
917:
914:
910:
907:
906:
904:
903:
899:
894:
890:
889:
887:
886:
882:
878:
874:
873:
871:
870:
866:
865:
854:
849:
848:
843:
841:
840:
835:
833:
832:
827:
823:
820:
819:
814:
813:
808:
806:
805:
800:
797:
796:
791:
790:
785:
781:
779:
778:
773:
769:
768:
767:
763:
762:
757:
755:
754:
749:
746:
745:
740:
739:
734:
733:Kenneth Turan
730:
728:
727:
726:The Oregonian
722:
718:
716:
715:
710:
708:
707:
702:
700:
699:
694:
692:
691:
686:
682:
680:
679:
674:
673:
672:
671:
667:
662:Top ten lists
647:
646:
641:
637:
636:Lane, Anthony
633:
632:
618:as Dr. ZraĂŻdi
615:
610:
607:
604:
603:Clément Obled
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
586:
583:
578:
573:
572:Émile Berling
570:
567:
564:
561:
558:
555:
552:
549:
546:
543:
540:
537:
534:
531:
530:Anne Consigny
528:
525:
522:
519:
516:
515:
508:
504:
502:
501:
496:
490:
487:
482:
478:
474:
472:
463:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
437:
433:
432:Anne Consigny
429:
425:
421:
417:
413:
410:
406:
402:
401:
392:$ 7.3 million
391:
387:
383:
379:
375:
371:
367:
361:
355: (France)
346:
343:
331:
330:
328:
325:Release dates
322:
318:
314:
307:
304:
302:
299:
297:
294:
292:
289:
288:
285:
277:
273:
269:
265:
261:
258:
255:
251:
245:
242:
240:
237:
235:
232:
230:
229:Anne Consigny
227:
225:
222:
220:
217:
215:
212:
211:
209:
205:
201:
197:
191:
188:
185:
184:
182:
178:
175:
172:
168:
164:
161:
158:
156:
152:
148:
141:
136:
131:
128:
120:
117:
109:
106:December 2018
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: –
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
22:
1400:
1392:
1384:
1376:
1368:
1360:
1352:
1345:
1344:
1336:
1328:
1320:
1312:
1304:
1298:The Sentinel
1296:
1288:
1231:
1215:
1195:
1180:
1163:
1142:. Retrieved
1138:the original
1131:
1077:. Retrieved
1071:
1062:
1023:
1007:
999:
991:
975:
941:Best Editing
908:
902:CĂ©sar Awards
900:
883:
867:
852:
845:
837:
829:
816:
810:
802:
793:
787:
775:
759:
751:
742:
736:
724:
712:
704:
696:
688:
685:Dana Stevens
676:
665:
650:. Retrieved
643:
597:Thomas Obled
593:as Spatafora
591:Samir Guesmi
505:
498:
491:
483:
479:
475:
469:
412:comedy-drama
399:
398:
397:
364:Running time
257:Eric Gautier
159:
127:
112:
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
1402:Filmlovers!
1314:Esther Kahn
1205:(in French)
1079:16 December
1031:Nominated:
1015:Nominated:
983:Nominated:
966:Nominated:
959:Nominated:
952:Nominated:
946:Nominated:
939:Nominated:
932:Nominated:
925:Nominated:
918:Nominated:
893:Golden Palm
891:Nominated:
875:Nominated:
824:7th —
815:(tied with
792:(tied with
784:Ella Taylor
782:5th —
770:3rd —
741:(tied with
731:2nd —
719:1st —
683:1st —
612: [
575: [
418:, starring
368:150 minutes
199:Produced by
170:Directed by
1425:2008 films
1419:Categories
1144:11 January
1133:Metacritic
1054:References
954:Best Sound
721:Shawn Levy
456:Palme d'Or
389:Box office
351:2008-05-21
336:2008-05-16
301:Wild Bunch
280:Production
180:Written by
76:newspapers
1386:Deception
1378:Oh Mercy!
996:(France)
948:Best Film
905:(France)
888:(France)
862:Accolades
812:LA Weekly
795:The Class
789:LA Weekly
744:The Class
624:Reception
556:as Faunia
448:Christmas
409:Christmas
403:(French:
319:BAC Films
306:BAC Films
282:companies
263:Edited by
1202:AlloCiné
1186:AllMovie
1042:See also
652:16 April
568:as Simon
452:leukemia
381:Language
271:Music by
207:Starring
1338:L'Aimée
804:Variety
526:as Abel
471:Roubaix
458:at the
373:Country
349: (
334: (
90:scholar
1405:(2024)
1397:(2022)
1389:(2021)
1381:(2019)
1373:(2017)
1365:(2015)
1357:(2013)
1349:(2008)
1341:(2007)
1333:(2004)
1325:(2003)
1317:(2000)
1309:(1996)
1301:(1992)
1293:(1991)
1171:
1028:(USA)
1012:(USA)
980:(USA)
872:(USA)
853:
384:French
376:France
342:Cannes
340: (
155:French
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
761:Salon
690:Slate
678:Salon
616:]
579:]
97:JSTOR
83:books
1169:IMDb
1146:2009
1081:2023
654:2009
511:Cast
466:Plot
442:and
69:news
1239:at
1219:at
1200:at
1184:at
1167:at
1000:Won
909:Won
847:NPR
497:'s
52:by
1421::
1130:.
1089:^
1070:.
911::
828:,
786:,
774:,
735:,
723:,
687:,
642:.
614:fr
577:fr
462:.
438:,
434:,
430:,
426:,
422:,
1269:e
1262:t
1255:v
1148:.
1083:.
821:)
798:)
747:)
656:.
353:)
344:)
338:)
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
