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4. When the dead soldiers are buried on Christmas Day, the Scottish lieutenant says it's fitting that the burials would occur on the same day Christ was born. What did he mean? Do you agree?
   
   
5. In the bishop's sermon to the replacement soldiers at the end of the film, he called it a "crusade, a holy war," saying the Germans are not "children of God" and even calling for the killing of all Germans. What do you think? Discuss.
   
   
6. Were the Germans soldiers themselves "evil"? After all, they were invading non-hostile countries and killing innocent civilians. If the soldiers weren't evil, then who, if anyone, was? Is it evil to kill someone who invades your country, in self-defense? Why or why not?
   
   
7. What do you think happened to Palmer, the Scottish priest, after this story ended?

Joyeux Noel is rated PG-13 for war violence and a brief scene of sexuality/nudity. The violence is not very graphic, compared to most contemporary war movies. There are a few relatively tame curse words. The brief scene (less than a minute) of sexuality/nudity shows a couple making love, and includes a very brief glimpse of a woman's bare breast, mostly hidden in shadow.

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Joyeux Noël , a French film written and directed by Christian Carion, was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the recent Academy Awards. The movie brings to life the astonishing story of a Christmas Eve truce struck between armies in World War I.

Mainstream critics are mostly positive, although a few that feel compelled to lob grenades.

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