Beast

Nominee
Golden Lion
Venice Film Festival
Both a Bond girl and a darling of the European arthouse, [Seydoux] gives a performance here of astonishing, chameleonic intensity.

LAST CHANCE! Thu, May 2

The Beast

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.

Genre
Sci-Fi, Drama, French Cinema, Romance
Runtime
146
Language
French, English
Director
Bertrand Bonello
Cast
Léa Seydoux, George MacKay
Awards:
Nominee, Golden Lion, Venice Film Festival

The Beast Get Tickets

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Monica Film Center
Last Chance!
1332 2nd Street