The Beast

In a near future where artificial intelligence rules, human emotions have become a threat. They are considered a danger to making fair and just decisions. To erase her feelings, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) therefore decides to purify her DNA using a machine that immerses her in her past lives. There she meets again and again a man named Louis (George MacKay) with whom she feels a powerful connection that she cannot place. At the same time, an anxious feeling creeps up on her, as if a disaster is on the way. The Beast is a romantic sci-fi thriller about the influence of AI on the uniqueness of humans. Told over three time periods, director Bertrand Bonello explores the power of emotions and a possible disappearance of humanity in society in a Lynchian manner. The contemporary film, which is loosely based on the novel The Beast in the Jungle by Henry James, premiered at the Venice Film Festival where it was praised for the overwhelming cinematic experience and the strong chemistry between protagonists Léa Seydoux and George MacKay.