Merry Christmas : a touching work
Known for staging The question of farewell, My boyfriend and its remake My child, Christian Carion’s most popular films are without a doubt A swallow made spring AND Merry Christmas. Carried by a luxurious cast led by Diane Kruger, Guillaume Canet, Dany Boon, Daniel Brühl and Bernard Le Coq, Merry Christmas tells a touching true story that took place during the First World War. The story takes place during the winter of 1914, while the conflict between France and Germany rages.
Christian Carion follows two regiments of soldiers, one French and the other German, who come face to face. And as the Christmas season approaches, something historic is happening. These enemies who have been killing each other for days they decide to lay down their weapons to celebrate Christmas together, Together. A touching story, that nominated six times for the César (including Best Film and Best Supporting Actor for Dany Boon) but also Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category.
The true story behind the film
As crazy as it may seem, Merry Christmas It is inspired by a true story. In fact, in the winter of 1914, truces similar to the one depicted in Christian Carion’s film occurred in various locations on the front. For Merry Christmaswhich the director was inspired by book by Yves Buffetaut entitled Battles of Flanders and Artois 1914-1918. In this work there is a chapter called The incredible Christmas of 1914in which the author evokes the different fraternizations that occurred between the two camps in this period.
Christian Carion was immediately touched by this story. After realizing One swallow makes springhe then starts directing Merry Christmas. The first step was to document this incredible Christmas of 1914. The director explained:
I found a series of extraordinary pieces of information in the British archives, very many of them, and then in the French and German ones. Suffice it to say, it’s not easy to get into. These are places frequented mainly by professional historians. Thanks to Yves Buffetaut I was able to access these documents. In France they are guarded by the army which, although it cannot prevent consultation, does not publicize them. As for the German archives, I had no difficulty consulting them since many are stored in France, this is the consequence of the Second World War.
A historic truce
After several weeks of fighting, German and French soldiers found themselves pinned down in their respective trenches during the winter of 1914. It was during this moment of calm that men began to give names to their allies, but also to their enemies. It is then that during the Christmas period, the truces are implemented by the soldiers themselves. Truces obviously punishable by death by the military authorities of each nation.
The truce told in Merry Christmas is inspired by the events that occurred in the trenches surrounding the city of Ypres, Belgium. On the morning of December 25, 1914, French and British soldiers heard Christmas carols coming from the German trenches. The Germans put up Christmas trees along their trench. As in Merry Christmasthe two fields therefore found ourselves in no man’s land to have dinner together, exchanging gifts and celebrating Christmas in the midst of the First World War. The Germans and the English even played a football match. A front page event Daily mirror.
As in the film, German tenor Walter Kirchhoff (played by Benno Fürmann) sang for both sides. From, a cross was erected at Ploegsteert’s memorial to immortalize this meal of peace and brotherhood.
Source: Cine Serie
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