Set in 1899 Paris during the Belle Epoque, Moulin Rouge! follows Christian, a young composter, who arrives in Montmartre to embrace Bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom, and love. He meets fellow artists who are producing a show for the famed Moulin Rouge cabaret, his arrival coincides with the club's financial crisis. A series of misunderstandings leads Christian to Satine's dressing room, a courtesan, where their passionate romance begins. As the Duke's past emerges and Satine's illness worsens, Christian and Satine must choose between love and the survival of the Moulin Rouge.