Fox Searchlight has premiered the first trailer for Amma Asante‘s Belle, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival this year a little under the radar. The buzz surrounding the film, for the most part, centers on the film’s lead, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, playing the title character, Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate mixed race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode).
The story follows Belle as she’s raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet her status prevents her from the traditions of noble social standing. While her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) chases suitors for marriage, Belle is left on the sidelines wondering if she will ever find love. After meeting an idealistic young vicar’s son bent on changing society, he and Belle help shape Lord Mansfield’s role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.
The film is slated for a May 2, 2014 release, which means it won’t likely last the year to find any kind of Oscar love, but it may end up an early year gem. Give the trailer a watch below, check out the poster and then on the second page I’ve included five pictures from the film.
Check out five pictures from the film on Page Two.
