Beautiful (Princess of Laughter and Tears)

‘The life of shy 17-year-old Suzu changes dramatically when she signs up to the U platform. There, she transforms into the beautiful and graceful Belle. In the protective anonymity of the online world, the young schoolgirl overcomes her self-doubt and rises to become a world-famous star overnight. Now the whole world wants to know: who is Belle? The success of Suzu’s alter ego is soon overshadowed by sinister events: her concert is interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious creature. (..) With Belle, Hosoda once again proves himself to be a sensitive storyteller. With art design by Tomm Moore (Song of the Sea) and character designs by Jin Kim (Frozen – Shall We Dance?), also known as the visual development artist for the two Oscar-nominated animated films Encanto and Raya and the Last Dragon, Hosoda creates a spectacular cyber-fairy tale. A feast for the eyes and ears that offers a refreshingly hopeful perspective on the internet age.” (Johannes Wolters, indac, 25 April 2022)