A Christmas Tale
Encyclopedia
A Christmas Tale is a 2008 French comedy-drama film by Arnaud Desplechin
, starring Catherine Deneuve
, Jean-Paul Roussillon
, Mathieu Amalric
, Anne Consigny
, Melvil Poupaud
, Emmanuelle Devos
and Chiara Mastroianni
. It tells the story of a family with strained relationships which gathers at the parents' home for Christmas, only to learn that their mother has leukemia
. It was in competition for the Palme d'Or
at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival
.
The couple has three children, all grown and in their 30s. Their eldest daughter is Elizabeth, who is a successful playwright who is married to an equally successful man, Claude. They have one child, 16-year-old Paul, who is mentally ill and taking powerful medication to control his psychiatric problems. The couple's middle son is Henri, who drinks too much and has always fought and argued with other members of the family. He has a new girlfriend, Faunia. Ivan is the couple's youngest son. He is married to Sylvia, and they have two sons, Basile and Baptiste. Henri and Ivan are close friends with Simon, their cousin who was raised with them after the death of his parents. SImon works in Abel's small fabric dying plant, but is an avid and skilled painter in his spare time. He is also an alcoholic who has gotten in trouble many times for brawling in public. All three men dated or were interested in Sylvia at one time, but they manipulated her to think that only Ivan loved her; she married him and grew to love him. The Vuillard family's other son, Joseph, never appears alive in this film but is its core throughout, and the presence around which everyone's psyches revolve: he died of leukemia when he was six years old, despite a desperate effort to save his life by procreating another child who could be a bone marrow donor for him. It may be that part of the siblings' poor relationship is the resentment they feel toward one another for not saving Joseph's life.
Six years prior to the Christmas gathering that is the heart of this film, Henri faced bankruptcy. Elizabeth paid off his debts, but demanded that he never see her again, meaning he was left out of family gatherings as well. Henri kept his promise. The specific reason (if there is one) for this banishment remains unanswered to the very end, but there is much speculation on the part of the family members throughout the film about what precipitated it, including incest.
Just before Christmas, Junon learns that she, too, has leukemia and does not have long to live, though she is offered the potential of a longer lifespan if she gets a bone marrow transplant. Her family gathers at the Vuillard home in Roubaix
, a small city in the north of France
. The family immediately falls to bickering. Junon asks her children if one of them (or possibly Paul) will donate bone marrow
to her that will allow her to survive. Henri and Elizabeth cruelly fight with one another, and Henri begins drinking heavily and hides Paul's medication. Paul fears that the blood test he will have to undergo may also reveal that his father is not his biological parent. Henri initially refuses to have the blood test, because, he claims, he has never loved his mother. Faunia, who is Jewish, has agreed to spend some time with the Vuillards before leaving to spend the holiday with her own family. Her honesty and gentleness have a moderating impact on Henri, and she manages to spend two days with the family before finally leaving.
On December 23, Rosaimée visits the family for dinner and fireworks. Rosaimée was Abel's mother's friend, although it is suggested that perhaps the two women were lesbian
lovers rather than "just friends." Rosaimée tells Syliva that Simon stopped seeing Sylvia because he believed that she would be happier if she fell in love with Ivan. This deeply upsets Sylvia, who feels betrayed and manipulated by Simon. Henri finally has the blood test without anyone's knowledge, and discovers he can be a donor. He decides to do so despite his coldness toward his mother. Simon disappears on Christmas Eve
and begins drinking heavily in local cafes, and the entire family rushes out into the snow to find him. Sylvia discovers him in a distant cafe, and she confesses that she knows Simon loves her. She and Simon spend several hours talking, then return to the Vuillard home and have sex. Paul tries to tell Henri about his fears. Henri convinces him that he is not his father, a fact reinforced by the blood test, and reassures Paul that he is not a moral failure for being afraid. The man and boy begin to bond, and Paul begins to improve almost overnight. On Christmas Day, Abel and Elizabeth discuss Elizabeth's longstanding depression, and Abel reads to her from the prologue to Friedrich Nietzsche
's On the Genealogy of Morality
about how well we know - or don't know - ourselves. Abel suggests that Elizabeth fears death, and that has led to her caution and depression.
The film ends with Ivan casually discovering that his wife has had sexual intercourse with Simon (they make no real effort to hide it, waking up together in bed the next day and greeting her children from there as they come bearing tea), but the effect on him is not revealed - he seems remarkably blase, almost as though he has expected that this would happen one day. Sylvia seems to love Simon just as he loves her, and it is suggested that the two have agreed to become lovers. Paul decides to stay behind with Henri, who is having a positive effect on his mental health. Henri donates his bone marrow to Junon, but she announces, seemingly before there would be medical evidence of this, that her body will reject the transplant. Elizabeth speculates that Junon will live, but Henri is shown flipping a coin in the hospital in front of his mother and not revealing the answer.
Arnaud Desplechin
Arnaud Desplechin is a French film director.-Biography:Arnaud Desplechin is the son of Robert and Mado Desplechin, and grew up in the Nord department...
, starring Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
, Jean-Paul Roussillon
Jean-Paul Roussillon
Jean-Paul Roussillon was a French actor. He appeared in 87 films and television shows between 1954 and 2008. He starred in the film Playing 'In the Company of Men, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival...
, Mathieu Amalric
Mathieu Amalric
Mathieu Amalric is a French actor and film director, perhaps best known internationally for his performance as the lead villain in Bond film Quantum Of Solace and for his role in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, for which he drew critical acclaim...
, Anne Consigny
Anne Consigny
Anne Consigny is a French film actress who is active since 1981. She received a César Awards nomination for Best Actress for her role in the film Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé...
, Melvil Poupaud
Melvil Poupaud
Melvil Poupaud is a French actor.He was named after Herman Melville by his screenwriter mother. At the age of ten, he launched into acting with a role in La Ville des Pirates , directed by Raul Ruiz. At the age of 15, he was nominated for a César...
, Emmanuelle Devos
Emmanuelle Devos
Emmanuelle Devos is a French actress. Devos was born to daughter of actress Marie Henriau in Paris. She appeared in 50 films between 1986 and 2009. She won the César Award for Best Actress in 2002 for her performance in Sur mes lèvres, directed by Jacques Audiard...
and Chiara Mastroianni
Chiara Mastroianni
Chiara Charlotte Mastroianni is a French actress and singer.-Biography:Mastroianni was born in Paris, the daughter of Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni. Her elder half-brother is Christian Vadim; her elder half-sister is Barbara Mastroianni.She had relationships with the actors Benicio...
. It tells the story of a family with strained relationships which gathers at the parents' home for Christmas, only to learn that their mother has leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. It was in competition for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival
2008 Cannes Film Festival
The 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 14 to May 25, 2008. In addition to films selected for competition this year, major Hollywood productions such as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Kung Fu Panda had their world premieres at the festival.The British press...
.
Plot
Junon Vuillard is Abel Vuillard's wife, and the iron-willed matriarch of the Vuillard family. Junon held her family together through many tough times, and although her willpower helped the family survive and prosper, it also has left many bad feelings among her children. Junon is still a handsome woman, and though her husband (who owns a small fabric dying plant) has become obese and clearly aged, he retains a remarkable clarity, acceptance, tolerance, and unconditional love for his family, and it is clear that he and their love for each other is the lynchpin that holds an otherwise fragmented family together, albeit uneasily.The couple has three children, all grown and in their 30s. Their eldest daughter is Elizabeth, who is a successful playwright who is married to an equally successful man, Claude. They have one child, 16-year-old Paul, who is mentally ill and taking powerful medication to control his psychiatric problems. The couple's middle son is Henri, who drinks too much and has always fought and argued with other members of the family. He has a new girlfriend, Faunia. Ivan is the couple's youngest son. He is married to Sylvia, and they have two sons, Basile and Baptiste. Henri and Ivan are close friends with Simon, their cousin who was raised with them after the death of his parents. SImon works in Abel's small fabric dying plant, but is an avid and skilled painter in his spare time. He is also an alcoholic who has gotten in trouble many times for brawling in public. All three men dated or were interested in Sylvia at one time, but they manipulated her to think that only Ivan loved her; she married him and grew to love him. The Vuillard family's other son, Joseph, never appears alive in this film but is its core throughout, and the presence around which everyone's psyches revolve: he died of leukemia when he was six years old, despite a desperate effort to save his life by procreating another child who could be a bone marrow donor for him. It may be that part of the siblings' poor relationship is the resentment they feel toward one another for not saving Joseph's life.
Six years prior to the Christmas gathering that is the heart of this film, Henri faced bankruptcy. Elizabeth paid off his debts, but demanded that he never see her again, meaning he was left out of family gatherings as well. Henri kept his promise. The specific reason (if there is one) for this banishment remains unanswered to the very end, but there is much speculation on the part of the family members throughout the film about what precipitated it, including incest.
Just before Christmas, Junon learns that she, too, has leukemia and does not have long to live, though she is offered the potential of a longer lifespan if she gets a bone marrow transplant. Her family gathers at the Vuillard home in Roubaix
Roubaix
Roubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
, a small city in the north of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The family immediately falls to bickering. Junon asks her children if one of them (or possibly Paul) will donate bone marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
to her that will allow her to survive. Henri and Elizabeth cruelly fight with one another, and Henri begins drinking heavily and hides Paul's medication. Paul fears that the blood test he will have to undergo may also reveal that his father is not his biological parent. Henri initially refuses to have the blood test, because, he claims, he has never loved his mother. Faunia, who is Jewish, has agreed to spend some time with the Vuillards before leaving to spend the holiday with her own family. Her honesty and gentleness have a moderating impact on Henri, and she manages to spend two days with the family before finally leaving.
On December 23, Rosaimée visits the family for dinner and fireworks. Rosaimée was Abel's mother's friend, although it is suggested that perhaps the two women were lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
lovers rather than "just friends." Rosaimée tells Syliva that Simon stopped seeing Sylvia because he believed that she would be happier if she fell in love with Ivan. This deeply upsets Sylvia, who feels betrayed and manipulated by Simon. Henri finally has the blood test without anyone's knowledge, and discovers he can be a donor. He decides to do so despite his coldness toward his mother. Simon disappears on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
and begins drinking heavily in local cafes, and the entire family rushes out into the snow to find him. Sylvia discovers him in a distant cafe, and she confesses that she knows Simon loves her. She and Simon spend several hours talking, then return to the Vuillard home and have sex. Paul tries to tell Henri about his fears. Henri convinces him that he is not his father, a fact reinforced by the blood test, and reassures Paul that he is not a moral failure for being afraid. The man and boy begin to bond, and Paul begins to improve almost overnight. On Christmas Day, Abel and Elizabeth discuss Elizabeth's longstanding depression, and Abel reads to her from the prologue to Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
's On the Genealogy of Morality
On the Genealogy of Morality
On the Genealogy of Morality, or On the Genealogy of Morals , subtitled "A Polemic" , is a work by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, composed and first published in 1887 with the intention of expanding and following through on certain new doctrines sketched out in his previous work Beyond...
about how well we know - or don't know - ourselves. Abel suggests that Elizabeth fears death, and that has led to her caution and depression.
The film ends with Ivan casually discovering that his wife has had sexual intercourse with Simon (they make no real effort to hide it, waking up together in bed the next day and greeting her children from there as they come bearing tea), but the effect on him is not revealed - he seems remarkably blase, almost as though he has expected that this would happen one day. Sylvia seems to love Simon just as he loves her, and it is suggested that the two have agreed to become lovers. Paul decides to stay behind with Henri, who is having a positive effect on his mental health. Henri donates his bone marrow to Junon, but she announces, seemingly before there would be medical evidence of this, that her body will reject the transplant. Elizabeth speculates that Junon will live, but Henri is shown flipping a coin in the hospital in front of his mother and not revealing the answer.
Cast
- Catherine DeneuveCatherine DeneuveCatherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
as Junon - Jean-Paul RoussillonJean-Paul RoussillonJean-Paul Roussillon was a French actor. He appeared in 87 films and television shows between 1954 and 2008. He starred in the film Playing 'In the Company of Men, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival...
as Abel - Anne ConsignyAnne ConsignyAnne Consigny is a French film actress who is active since 1981. She received a César Awards nomination for Best Actress for her role in the film Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé...
as Elizabeth - Mathieu AmalricMathieu AmalricMathieu Amalric is a French actor and film director, perhaps best known internationally for his performance as the lead villain in Bond film Quantum Of Solace and for his role in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, for which he drew critical acclaim...
as Henri - Melvil PoupaudMelvil PoupaudMelvil Poupaud is a French actor.He was named after Herman Melville by his screenwriter mother. At the age of ten, he launched into acting with a role in La Ville des Pirates , directed by Raul Ruiz. At the age of 15, he was nominated for a César...
as Ivan - Emmanuelle DevosEmmanuelle DevosEmmanuelle Devos is a French actress. Devos was born to daughter of actress Marie Henriau in Paris. She appeared in 50 films between 1986 and 2009. She won the César Award for Best Actress in 2002 for her performance in Sur mes lèvres, directed by Jacques Audiard...
as Faunia - Laurent Capelluto as Simon
- Chiara MastroianniChiara MastroianniChiara Charlotte Mastroianni is a French actress and singer.-Biography:Mastroianni was born in Paris, the daughter of Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni. Her elder half-brother is Christian Vadim; her elder half-sister is Barbara Mastroianni.She had relationships with the actors Benicio...
as Sylvia - Hippolyte GirardotHippolyte GirardotHippolyte Girardot is a French actor.He is not related to the actress Annie Girardot.-Selected filmography:* 1973: La Femme de Jean, directed by Yannick Bellon, Rémi...
as Claude - Emile Berling as Paul
- Françoise Bertin as Rosaimée
Themes
The film explores family relationships, how some conflicts are resolved, and how relationship constantly evolve between mother and children, lovers, spouses, and siblings in the context of a Christmas family gathering. There are philosophical insights into the complexity of life, and we gain a deeper understanding of each person in the family, the dynamics of the Vuillard family, and how we deal with adversity.Awards and nominations
- Broadcast Film CriticsBroadcast Film Critics AssociationThe Broadcast Film Critics Association is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada , representing approximately 250 television, radio and online critics....
(USA)- Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film
- Cannes Film Festival2008 Cannes Film FestivalThe 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 14 to May 25, 2008. In addition to films selected for competition this year, major Hollywood productions such as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Kung Fu Panda had their world premieres at the festival.The British press...
(France)- Nominated: Golden Palm (Arnaud Desplechin)
- César Awards (France)
- Won: Best Actor – Supporting Role (Jean-Paul Roussillon)
- Nominated: Best Actress – Supporting Role (Anne Consigny)
- Nominated: Best CinematographyCésar Award for Best CinematographyThe following are the winners of the annual César Award for Best Cinematography .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
(Eric Gautier) - Nominated: Best DirectorCésar Award for Best DirectorThis is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Director .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
(Arnaud Desplechin) - Nominated: Best EditingCésar Award for Best EditingThe César Award for Best Editing is one of the annual César Awards given by the French Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema. Eligible films are usually in the French language.-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:...
(Laurence Briaud) - Nominated: Best FilmCésar Award for Best FilmThe winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Film .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
- Nominated: Best SoundCésar Award for Best SoundThis is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Sound .-Winners and nominees:*1976 : Nara Kollery *1977 : Jean-Pierre Ruh *1978 : Jacques Maumont...
(Nicolas Cantin, Jean-Pierre Laforce and Sylvain Malbrant) - Nominated: Best Writing – OriginalCésar Award for Best WritingThis is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Writing .-1975–1979:*1975: Bertrand Tavernier, Jean Aurenche: Que la fête commence...
(Emmanuel Bourdieu and Arnaud Desplechin) - Nominated: Most Promising ActorCésar Award for Most Promising ActorThis is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Most Promising Actor .-1980s:-1990s:*1991: Gérald Thomassin: Le petit criminel*1992: Manuel Blanc: J'embrasse pas...
(Laurent Capelluto)
- Chicago Film CriticsChicago Film Critics AssociationThe Chicago Film Critics Association is an American film critic association.-Members:Current members include:*Sarah Knight Adamson*Zbigniew Banas*Shelley Cameron*Dave Canfield*Vittorio Carli*Erik Childress*Camerin Courtney*Bonnie DeShong...
(USA)- Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film
- Étoiles d'Or (France)
- Won: Best Director (Arnaud Desplechin)
- Online Film Critics SocietyOnline Film Critics SocietyThe Online Film Critics Society is a professional association for film critics who publish their reviews, interviews, and essays on the Internet.The OFCS was founded in 1997...
(USA)- Nominated: Best Foreign Language FilmOnline Film Critics Society Award for Best Foreign Language FilmThe Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Foreign Language Film is an annual film award given by the Online Film Critics Society to honor the best foreign language film of the year.-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
- Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film
- Satellite AwardsSatellite AwardsThe Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
(USA)- Nominated: Best Actress – Musical or Comedy (Catherine Deneuve)
Top ten lists
The film appeared on many critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2008.- 1st — Andrew O'Hehir, SalonSalon.comSalon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
- 1st — Dana StevensDana Stevens (critic)Dana Shawn Stevens is a movie critic at Slate magazine. She is also a regular on the magazine's weekly cultural podcast the Culture Gabfest.-Life and career:Stevens grew up in Scarsdale, New York...
, SlateSlate (magazine)Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company... - 1st — Josh Rosenblatt, The Austin Chronicle
- 1st — Rick Groen , The Globe and MailThe Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
- 1st — Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle Post-IntelligencerThe Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
- 1st — Shawn LevyShawn Anthony LevyShawn Anthony Levy is an American film critic, author and blogger.Born in New York City, and educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Irvine, Levy has been the film critic of The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, Oregon since 1997. He is a former Senior Editor...
, The OregonianThe OregonianThe Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850... - 2nd — Kenneth TuranKenneth TuranKenneth Turan is an American film critic and Lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California.-Background:...
, Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
(tied with The ClassThe Class (2008 film)The Class is a 2008 French drama film directed by Laurent Cantet. Its original French title is Entre les murs, which translates literally to "Between the walls". It is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by François Bégaudeau...
) - 2nd — Kimberly Jones, The Austin Chronicle
- 2nd — Stephanie Zacharek, SalonSalon.comSalon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
- 3rd — Michael PhilllipsMichael Phillips (critic)Michael Phillips is a film critic for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. Previously he was the drama critic of the Tribune; the Los Angeles Times; the St. Paul Pioneer Press; the San Diego Union-Tribune; and the Dallas Times Herald....
, Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is... - 4th — Lou LumenickLou LumenickLouis J. "Lou" Lumenick is an American film critic. He is the chief film critic and a blogger for the New York Post and has reviewed films there since 1999.-Life and career:Lumenick was born and raised in Astoria, Queens...
, New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions... - 5th — Ella TaylorElla TaylorElla Taylor is a film critic who was a staff writer for the LA Weekly and Village Voice Media, writing film and book reviews, interviews, profiles, and cultural and political commentary from 1989 to 2009, when she and much of the staff were laid off....
, LA WeeklyLA WeeklyLA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
(tied with The ClassThe Class (2008 film)The Class is a 2008 French drama film directed by Laurent Cantet. Its original French title is Entre les murs, which translates literally to "Between the walls". It is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by François Bégaudeau...
) - 6th — Dennis Harvey, VarietyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
- 7th — Scott Foundas, LA WeeklyLA WeeklyLA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
(tied with The Secret of the GrainThe Secret of the GrainThe Secret of the Grain is a 2007 Franco-Tunisian drama film directed by Abdel Kechiche. The film stars Habib Boufares as an ageing immigrant from the Maghreb whose ambition to establish a successful restaurant as an inheritance for his large and disparate family meets sceptical opposition from...
) - 7th — Stephen HoldenStephen HoldenStephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
, The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization... - 8th — Liam Lacey, The Globe and MailThe Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
- 10th — Robert Mondello, NPR