"Joyeux Noel" Wins Appeal of 'R' Rating

The MPAA has overturned their rating of French foreign language Oscar nominee "Joyeux Noel," giving the movie a 'PG-13' instead of an 'R'. The film's distributor, Sony Pictures Classics, and director Christian Carion, had appealed the rating. In a statement today, Carion said, "It is important this film is PG-13 because it is a movie young people should see. It has a message of peace, not violence which is very important now a days, especially for our youth." The film had been given an 'R' for "some war violence and brief nudity." [Eugene Hernandez]