Belle and Sebastian

In 1943, Sébastien, a seven-year-old orphan, lives with César and Angélina in Saint-Martin, a village under occupation. They quietly support Jewish exiles making their way toward Switzerland. The family clings to hope amid danger.

The Beast haunts the high pastures, preying on livestock and unsettling the villagers. Its presence shadows the dangers surrounding the aid network that helps Jews escape toward Switzerland.

Sébastien rescues and cleans a female livestock guardian dog who becomes his secret companion. The bond gives him companionship and courage amid the war’s shadows.

Lieutenant Peter Braun leads a German patrol into Saint-Martin with orders to shut down the Jews’ escape route. Authorities announce a hunt to shoot the Beast, linking the dog to the danger and heightening the village’s tension.

To shield Sébastien from the violence, César secretly directs him away toward the hunting area as villagers close in on Belle. Sébastien is drawn away, leaving Belle at risk.

Sébastien is shaken when he discovers Belle has been injured. He escapes confinement, finds the wounded dog, and vows to do whatever it takes to save her life.

Guillaume, Angélina’s boyfriend and the village doctor, treats Belle and becomes involved in escorting Jews toward the Swiss border. He hides a Jewish family in a cave and helps plan a dangerous crossing.

Guillaume slips and falls, but Belle drives away wolves and drags him toward safety. His ankle is broken, leaving him unable to walk, and he must be carried on a sled toward Angélina’s house.

César apologizes to Sébastien for wanting to harm Belle, signaling a growing, uneasy truce between boy and dog. This moment marks a shift in their relationship and underscores the film’s moral complexity.

With Guillaume unable to lead, Angélina takes charge of guiding the refugee group toward the Swiss border. Sébastien follows, and a renewed resolve grows among them.

Sébastien meets Esther and learns César’s lie about America. He discovers that his mother died in childbirth, and César’s deception was meant to shield him from the harsh truth. The revelation deepens their bond and sparks reconciliation.

The pursuit tightens as Braun and the soldiers close in on the group. A tense chase culminates in an avalanche triggered by their shouts, cutting off the way to safety. Braun frees them but warns that a different route will be needed.

Sébastien relies on Belle’s extraordinary sense of smell as the group reaches Switzerland, where a local guide greets them. Angélina reveals her plan to go to England to help win the war, promising to return.

Belle and Sébastien walk home with the road ahead uncertain but no longer traveled alone. The guide’s question about whether Sébastien can journey by himself is answered with a quiet, comforting truth: he is not alone.