Belle

From the UK, this sumptuous period piece bends the genre into a thought provoking examination of race and prejudice.  Dido Belle Lindsay was the illegitimate daughter of an aristocrat Captain in the Royal Navy.  She is brought to England to live with her grandparents who discover, only on her arrival, that her mother was black.  The family reluctantly accepts the child and their affection for her grows as she is transformed into an intelligent, educated lady of independence and means.  The mores of Georgian England create many obstacles not the least of which is finding a proper mate.  A brilliant cast carry this beautiful film into the realm of meaningful cinema and huh art. Check out the wikipedia  entry for historic perspective.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_(2013_film)