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The Beast

The Beast

The Beast

Dir. Bertrand Bonello
146 min
Unrated

Starts April 26

MSPIFF43 Official Selection

The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely "erase" their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by their past-life romances, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) continually falls in love with different incarnations of Louis (George MacKay). Set first in Belle Époque-era Paris, Louis is a British man who woos her away from a cold husband, then in early 21st Century Los Angeles, he is a disturbed American bent on delivering violent "retribution." Will the process allow Gabrielle to fully connect with Louis in the present, or are the two doomed to repeat their previous fates? Visually audacious director Bertrand Bonello (Saint Laurent, Nocturama) fashions his most accomplished film to date: a sci-fi epic, inspired by Henry James’ turn-of-the-century novella, suffused with mounting dread and a haunting sense of mystery. Punctuated by a career-defining, three-role performance by Seydoux, The Beast poignantly conveys humanity’s struggle against dissociative identity and emotionless existence.

Film Details

Program: New Releases
Release Year: 2023
Runtime: 146 min
Country/Region: France, Canada
Rating: Unrated
Language: French, English
Print Source: Sideshow / Janus Films
Tags: Adaptation, Drama, Francophone, Romance, Science Fiction

Cast/Crew

Director: Bertrand Bonello
Producer: Bertrand Bonello, Justin Taurand, Xavier Dolan
Cinematographer: Josée Deshaies
Screenwriter: Bertrand Bonello, Guillaume Bréaud, Benjamin Charbit
Editor: Anita Roth
Composer: Anna Bonello
Principal Cast: George MacKay, Léa Seydoux, Julia Faure, Martin Scali, Dasha Nekrasova