French director Christian Carion is to follow up his debut hit Une Hirondelle A Fait Le Printemps, with Joyeux Noel starring French hearthob Guillaume Canet and Good Bye, Lenin! star Daniel Bruehl.

Based on a true story and set to shoot in 2004, the Euros 23m film is produced by Christophe Rossignon's Nord-Ouest Productions with the UK's Bertrand Faivre of The Bureau and Belgium's Artemis co-producing.

Carion spoke about the project during the German-French Film Rendez Vous earlier this month in Lyon; Rossignon said that financing was close to being completed.

Carion explained that the idea came from a true story of one Christmas night during the First World War when enemies were able to lay aside their differences, visit each others trenches and celebrate the holiday.

Noel will also star French comic Danny Boon, veteran Andre Dussolier, The Pianist's Thomas Kretschmann, Troy's Diane Kruger and Billy Elliot's Gary Lewis.

Carion's Hirondelle was a solid hit starring Mathilde Seigner which brought in over 2 million admissions.