Toulous-Lautrec is the great chronicler of the Belle Epoque and Montmartre's nightclub district. Close to his motifs, the dwarfish son of an aristocrat led his short, excessive life as an artist. On placards and lithographs he depicted the debauched world of Paris cabarets and brothels with just a few lines and colours. His famous graphic work is the subject of this film. Scenes from Huston's Moulin Rouge, archive footage of the original locations, a Lautrec exhibition at London's Royal Academy and interviews with artists, critics and collectors provide insights into the artist's life.