In France, 1810, a bankrupt merchant (André Dussollier) exiles himself to the countryside with his six children. Among them is Belle (Léa Seydoux), his youngest daughter, who is pure of heart. One day, during an arduous journey, the merchant stumbles across the magical domain of the Beast (Vincent Cassel), who sentences him to death for stealing a single rose.
Feeling responsible for the terrible fate which has befallen her family, Belle decides to sacrifice herself and take her father’s place. At the Beast’s castle, however, it is not death that awaits Belle, but a strange life in which fantastical moments mingle with gaiety and melancholy. “A stunning visual style and the presence of two of France’s most charismatic stars in the lead roles” - Roger EbertEnglish