Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast is a 2014 romantic fantasy film based on the traditional fairy tale of the same name by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Written by Christophe Gans and Sandra Vo-Anh and directed by Gans, the film stars Léa Seydoux as Belle and Vincent Cassel as the Beast. The film was screened out of competition at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival and was released in France on 12 February 2014 to generally negative reviews, yet was a box office success. It was nominated for the People's Choice Award for Best European Film at the 27th European Film Awards. It also received three nominations at the 40th César Awards, winning Best Production Design for Thierry Flamand. Plot A widowed merchant is forced to move to the countryside after going bankrupt, with his six children. His youngest daughter, Belle is the only one happy with the change. When one of the merchant's ships is found, the merchant prepares to return to reclaim his assets. While his two older spoiled daughters give him a long list of expensive things to bring back for them, Belle asks only for a rose. The merchant arrives and learns that the ship and its cargo have been taken to settle his debts. On the way home, he gets lost and stumbles upon the castle of the Beast, where all of his needs are magically met, including food, the items his daughters had asked him for and his injured horse, cured. He departs and picks a rose in the garden for Belle. He is confronted by the Beast, who is angry that he stole despite the Beast's help. As punishment, the Beast demands that the merchant return after saying goodbye to his children. After learning of her father's fate, Belle, feeling responsible, takes his place. At the castle, Belle is given permission to roam the grounds, but must have dinner with the Beast every evening. She has a dream, revealing the prince's past; he enjoys hunting, but often ignores the Princess who loves him but is lonely. The prince is after an elusive golden deer and when the princess asks him to stop hunting it, he promises to do so if she will give him a son. At dinner, the Beast attempts to charm her, only to be rejected, which angers him. He later apologizes for his behavior. Belle says she will dance with him if she is allowed to see her family one last time. The Beast asks for Belle's love but she demands to see her family first. When he refuses, she rejects him once again. That night, she witnesses the Beast prey upon a hog.