Belle
[Belle: Ryū to Sobakasu no Hime], directed by Mamoru Hosoda, Japan 2021, 121'
Belle is the story of sensitive Suzu, who lives with her father in the Japanese town of Kōchi. The girl lost her mother at a young age and gave up her beloved singing, which brought back too many painful memories. Virtual reality U turns out to be the place where she can deal with her sorrows. In the U, among 5 billion users, Suzu discovers that she can be anything she wants to be, and her carefully hidden weaknesses become her greatest strength. It is in the virtual world, under the name Belle, that she finds the courage to sing again. The U community immediately recognises her as a phenomenon and the biggest musical star. When one of her concerts is disrupted by the fearsome Beast, Belle is determined to discover the true identity of this mysterious and intriguing creature. This is where their adventurous and challenging journey in two parallel worlds begins. Will the protagonists dare to reject their avatars and reveal their true selves?
