Christian, a young poet with great aspirations, moves to the Montmartre district of Paris in order to immerse himself in the area's thriving Bohemian movement. He soon discovers that his neighbours are a performing troupe led by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and he falls in with the group having been brought on board to help them finish a spectacular show that they plan to sell to the Moulin Rouge nightclub. As Christian enters Paris’ late night world of sex, drugs and passion, he begins a love affair with Satine, the Moulin Rouge’s star courtesan and star of the planned show. But one of the club's wealthy financial backers, driven by his obsession for Satine, insists that the couple is broken apart, or else the future of the club - and Christian - may be in jeopardy.