Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc (2018) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is set in rural France during the Hundred Years' War. The story takes place in pastoral village settings where Jeannette tends her sheep, contrasted with the dangerous front-line areas affected by English invasion. The landscape emphasizes the divide between peaceful countryside and war-torn territories.

Foreshadowing: The opening scenes of Jeannette tending sheep establish the tranquil village life that will be disrupted by war.

• rural france
• hundred years war
• village setting
• front lines

The movie is set in 15th-century France during the Hundred Years' War, a period marked by brutal warfare between England and France. The story follows Jeannette from childhood through her early spiritual awakening, capturing the social upheaval and conflict that defined this historical era.

• 15th century
• hundred years war
• medieval france
• historical period

The film explores three primary themes: Faith and Destiny, as Jeannette experiences a religious awakening that gives her divine purpose; War and Leadership, examining what it takes for a young girl to lead soldiers during invasion; and Community and Sacrifice, showing how solidarity sustains people during wartime through acts of sharing and caring for orphans.

• faith
• destiny
• war
• leadership
• community
• sacrifice
• themes

Jeannette is an eight-year-old shepherd girl who experiences a profound religious awakening after witnessing the destruction caused by English forces. She is portrayed by Lise Leplat Prudhomme and embodies compassion and courage. Her journey involves grappling with her sense of duty and eventually accepting a visionary call to lead France's soldiers, even against her family's expectations.

Foreshadowing: Her early acts of caring for orphaned children hint at her willingness to take on greater responsibilities.

• jeannette
• shepherd girl
• joan of arc
• leadership
• religious calling

Madame Gervaise is a nun who preaches faith and provides spiritual guidance to Jeannette. Played by Aline Charles, she represents the persistent religious influence in Jeannette's journey. Notably, the role is played by two actors in the same scene, emphasizing the ongoing spiritual mentorship that shapes Jeannette's development.

• madame gervaise
• nun
• spiritual guidance
• religious mentor

Saint Michael appears as a vision to Jeannette, commanding her to become the warlord France needs to defeat the English. This divine intervention by the saint, portrayed by Anaïs Rivière, serves as the catalyst that transforms Jeannette's spiritual awakening into a concrete mission, giving her the resolve to leave her pastoral life and pursue her destiny.

• saint michael
• vision
• divine intervention
• warlord
• prophetic calling

The film examines what it means for a young girl to step into a leadership role during a time of invasion, testing loyalty, risk, and strategy. It shows Jeannette confronting fear and reconciling personal safety with duty to her country. The narrative focuses on internal conviction rather than graphic violence, portraying the psychological journey of accepting responsibility for leading soldiers.

• war
• leadership
• soldiers
• invasion
• duty
• courage

Hauviette is Jeannette's friend, portrayed first by Lucile Gauthier as a child and later by Victoria Lefebvre as an older version. She bears witness to the country's suffering and shows empathy by sharing food and supporting Jeannette's early reflections. Her character anchors the story in the perspective of rural children during wartime and highlights the lasting impact of war on youth.

• hauviette
• friend
• child perspective
• witness
• war impact

Faith and Destiny explores how Jeannette's religious awakening and visions guide her decisions and give her a sense of divine purpose. Prayer, miracles, and her deepening faith push her toward a role that others doubt she can fulfill. The theme demonstrates how belief can shape courage and resolve in times of crisis, transforming an ordinary shepherd girl into someone destined for something greater.

• faith
• destiny
• religious awakening
• visions
• divine purpose

The rural French setting, with its peaceful villages and proximity to front-line danger, underscores the conflict that defines the era. Jeannette's role as a shepherd in untouched pastoral lands contrasts sharply with the destruction she witnesses from English forces. This contrast highlights how war invades even the most remote communities and shapes the awakening of someone who previously lived a simple, unaffected life.

• rural france
• pastoral setting
• village
• war invasion
• countryside

The film uses a musical format as its primary genre along with historical drama. This choice allows the narrative to convey the emotional and spiritual intensity of Jeannette's journey through song, creating a contemplative tone that balances the serious subject matter of war and spiritual calling. The musical elements give the story a hopeful, transcendent quality appropriate for depicting a young girl's profound spiritual transformation.

• musical
• genre
• song
• emotional tone
• contemplative

The Community and Sacrifice theme is shown through Jeannette's acts of sharing food and caring for orphaned children. These demonstrations of solidarity reveal how mutual aid and resilience become crucial forces for sustaining a community under siege. The film illustrates that sacrifice and support for one another are vital survival mechanisms during wartime, with Jeannette's compassion emerging as a guiding principle.

• community
• sacrifice
• mutual aid
• orphans
• resilience
• wartime

Jeannette's uncle Jacques d'Arc, played by Gery De Poorter, supports her ambition and helps her reach the front lines, even asking her to lie to her parents to execute her plan. Isabeau d'Arc, portrayed by Régine Delalin, provides context and support during the war's upheaval, helping illuminate the family dynamics surrounding Jeannette as she transitions from shepherd girl to visionary leader.

• jacques d'arc
• isabeau d'arc
• uncle
• family
• arc family