Here's the trailer for La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast), a new French film based on the famous fairy tale first published in 1740. While some of you may be most familiar with the Walt Disney or Jean Cocteau versions, this recent release is an attempt to recapture the spirit of the original tale while also giving it more of a contemporary twist.

Héla Fattoumi, originally from Tunis, has taken her feelings on the full-body veil to the stage, in her dance performance piece “Manta.”

Sacha and Annie share an apartment. Their neighbor Nico is in love with Sacha, while Annie is in love with him. Things get even more complicated when Sacha receives a letter from Sam, her former American pen pal.

Sacha and Annie are excited about Sam's imminent arrival from America. While they are getting the apartment ready, Nico shows up, to Annie's delight and Sacha's dismay.

Sacha's American pen pal Sam arrives at her and Annie's flat. He doesn't quite live up to their fantasy, and his French needs a lot of improvement.

It's Sam first day at Sacha and Annie's apartment. The girls are not impressed with Sam's attempts to communicate in French.

Sam pulls on the curtain ropes for room service, and when Nico appears, he mistakes him for the porter. Sam has a few things to learn, and Nico is more than happy to teach him some French....

There's a little male competition between Sam and Nico, who throws a challenge to Sam: Can he pedal for fifty kilometers on Sacha's exercise bike?

Sacha is furious because Sam used her bike without her permission. She wants him out, but after he comes out of the shower, she and Annie are very impressed by his physique...

Sam is suddenly popular with the girls, and even Nico is impressed. What made them change their minds?

Sacha brags about her new job, where she gets to schmooze with celebrities. Annie is a tad jealous...

Sacha wants Sam to apply for a news reporter job, but first she must coach him for the audition...

Nico fancies himself as Hamlet and thinks he can coach Sam to help him become a TV reporter.

Sacha doesn't have time to help Sam prepare for his audition at the TV station. She has a meeting with Sting!

When Sacha forgets about Sam's audition, he's left to his own devices. Sacha is less than satisfied with the results.