Following the tragic death of her mother, Ella's father remarries. When he also dies, Ella is left at the mercy of the caprices and cruelties of her stepmother and her daughters. She is demoted to being a servant and renamed "Cinder-ella". Ella appears to find a soulmate in a good-looking stranger whom she assumes to be an attendant at the royal palace. When the court throws a grand ball, Ella is forbidden to attend but gains unexpected help from a good fairy ... The famous fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm has inspired numerous filmmakers. At the very first Berlinale in 1951 the now legendary Disney animated version of the story won the Golden Bear in the film musical category. Now, with an eye for visual opulence, dramatic timing and wit, Kenneth Branagh reinterprets the tale as a timeless love story.