Christmas Carole

Christmas Carole
Christmas Carole
	International theatrical poster
French	Un Noël en Famille
Directed by	Jeanne Gottesdiener
Written by	Jeanne Gottesdiener; Julie Ponsonnet
Based on	Nutcrackers; by Chrissy Lessey
Produced by	Christophe Mazodier; Patrick Vandenbosch; Jean-Jacques Neira
Starring	Noémie Lvovsky; Didier Bourdon; Alice Daubelcour; Jules Sagot [fr; de; ko]; Janaïna Halloy-Fokan; Christophe Montenez [fr]
Cinematography	Vincent Muller
Edited by	Sylvie Gadmer [de]
Music by	Romain Allender
Production; companies	Belga Films; Polaris Films
Distributed by	KMBO Films [fr]
Release dates	9 June 2024 (Rabat-Comedy International Film Festival); 15 June 2024 (Porquerolles Film Festival); 14 November 2024 (Germany); 18 December 2024 (France/Belgium/Switzerland);
Country	France
Language	French

Christmas Carole (French: Un Noël en Famille) is a 2024 French Christmas comedy film directed by Jeanne Gottesdiener in her feature directorial debut. Gottesdiener co-wrote the script with Julie Ponsonnet based on the 2022 PAGE Award Bronze winning^[1] English-language screenplay Nutcrackers by American author Chrissy Lessey. The film stars Noémie Lvovsky and Didier Bourdon in the lead roles.^[2] After screening at various film festivals, it is scheduled for wide theatrical release on 14 November 2024 in Germany and on 18 December 2024 in France, Belgium and French-speaking Switzerland.^[3]

The film, set mostly around a Christmas Eve dinner, revolves around the mayoress of a small town, Carole, played by Noémie Lvovsky, trying to juggle her municipal duties and family celebrations to little success.^[4]

Cast

Noémie Lvovsky as Carole Lamarre
Didier Bourdon as Alain Lamarre
Alice Daubelcour as Sarah Lamarre
Jules Sagot [fr; de; ko] as David Lamarre
Janaïna Halloy-Fokan as Noa Lamarre
Christophe Montenez [fr] as Balthazar
Marie Bunel as Laura, the neighbor
Renaud Rutten [fr; nl] as Victor Fayol
Sissi Duparc [fr] as Marlène

Production

The film was shot in chronological order^[5] under the working title Noël au Balcon (literally Christmas on the Balcony) over the course of seven weeks, from 15 May to 30 June 2023 in the Wallonia region of Belgium, mainly between Limbourg and the Embourg area of Chaudfontaine,^[6] as well as in Hamoir^[7] and Liège,^[8] while the post-production was done concurrently in France.^[9]

Director Jeanne Gottesdiener took inspiration from several other French comedy films set mostly around a group of people in a single space, such as What's in a Name?, The Dinner Game, Kitchen with Apartment [fr; cy; ht] and Family Resemblances.^[5]

Release

Christmas Carole had its world premiere on 9 June 2024 at the Rabat-Comedy International Film Festival in Rabat, Morocco,^[10] followed by an out of competition screening on 15 June 2024 at the Porquerolles Film Festival in France.^[11] It is scheduled for theatrical release first in Germany on 14 November 2024 by Happy Entertainement under the title Frohes Fest – Weihnachten retten wir die Welt, and a month later on 18 December 2024 in France by KMBO Films [fr], as well as Belgium and French-speaking Switzerland. International sales are handled by France TV Distribution,^[12] who launched sales during the 2023 Marché du Film while the film was still shooting,^[4] and hosted the first film market screenings in mid-January 2024.^[13]

Accolades

List of awards and nominations for *Almost Legal*
Award or film festival	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipient(s)	Result	Ref.
Rabat-Comedy International Film Festival	12 June 2024	Grand Prix	Jeanne Gottesdiener	Nominated	^[10]

References

^ "Nutcrackers". Coverfly.
^ "Christmas Carole". Unifrance.
^ Baronnet, Brigitte (2024-06-30). "Didier Bourdon, Gérard Darmon, Christian Clavier... Quelles comédies vous attendent encore en 2024 ?" [Didier Bourdon, Gérard Darmon, Christian Clavier... What comedies are still waiting for you in 2024?]. AlloCiné (in French).
^ ^a ^b Keslassy, Elsa (22 May 2023). "France TV Distribution Bows Sales on Comedy 'Christmas Carole' at Cannes Market". Variety.
^ ^a ^b Rabat-Comedy (26 May 2024). "Rabat-Comedy 2024 - Interview with Jeanne Gottesdiener, Director of "Christmas Carole"". YouTube.
^ "Un Noël en famille (ex Noël au balcon, ex Christmas Carole)". Scriptoclap (in French).
^ Lourtie, Sabine (2024-07-05). "Le tournage du film avec Didier Bourdon s'arrêtera à Hamoir, le vendredi 26 mai" [The filming of the movie with Didier Bourdon will end in Hamoir on Friday May 26]. La Dernière Heure (in French).
^ Cornet, Lauren (29 June 2023). "Liège : une maison de repos transformée en décor de film avec Didier Bourdon" [Liège: a retirement home transformed into a film set with Didier Bourdon]. RTBF (in French).
^ "114th session: Wallonia comes alive a little more each day". Wallimage. 15 May 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Programme 2024". Rabat-Comedy International Film Festival.
^ "Programme". Porquerolles Film Festival.
^ Ludot, Anne-Laure (19 May 2023). "Le film NOËL AU BALCON rejoint le line-up de France tv distribution" [The film CHRISTMAS CAROLE joins the France tv distribution line-up]. France Télévisions (in French).
^ Leffler, Rebecca (15 January 2023). "France TV Distribution adds documentary 'Living With Wolves' to Rendez-Vous slate (exclusive)". Screen International.

External links

[1] "Nutcrackers". Coverfly.

[2] "Christmas Carole". Unifrance.

[3] Baronnet, Brigitte (2024-06-30). "Didier Bourdon, Gérard Darmon, Christian Clavier... Quelles comédies vous attendent encore en 2024 ?" [Didier Bourdon, Gérard Darmon, Christian Clavier... What comedies are still waiting for you in 2024?]. AlloCiné (in French).

[Variety-4] Keslassy, Elsa (22 May 2023). "France TV Distribution Bows Sales on Comedy 'Christmas Carole' at Cannes Market". Variety.

[Interview-5] Rabat-Comedy (26 May 2024). "Rabat-Comedy 2024 - Interview with Jeanne Gottesdiener, Director of "Christmas Carole"". YouTube.

[6] "Un Noël en famille (ex Noël au balcon, ex Christmas Carole)". Scriptoclap (in French).

[7] Lourtie, Sabine (2024-07-05). "Le tournage du film avec Didier Bourdon s'arrêtera à Hamoir, le vendredi 26 mai" [The filming of the movie with Didier Bourdon will end in Hamoir on Friday May 26]. La Dernière Heure (in French).

[8] Cornet, Lauren (29 June 2023). "Liège : une maison de repos transformée en décor de film avec Didier Bourdon" [Liège: a retirement home transformed into a film set with Didier Bourdon]. RTBF (in French).

[9] "114th session: Wallonia comes alive a little more each day". Wallimage. 15 May 2023.

[Festival-10] "Programme 2024". Rabat-Comedy International Film Festival.

[11] "Programme". Porquerolles Film Festival.

[12] Ludot, Anne-Laure (19 May 2023). "Le film NOËL AU BALCON rejoint le line-up de France tv distribution" [The film CHRISTMAS CAROLE joins the France tv distribution line-up]. France Télévisions (in French).

[13] Leffler, Rebecca (15 January 2023). "France TV Distribution adds documentary 'Living With Wolves' to Rendez-Vous slate (exclusive)". Screen International.

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