The Duke of Burgundy
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Somewhere, sometime in Europe…
Day after day, Cynthia (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and Evelyn (Chiara D'Anna) act out a simple yet provocative ritual that ends with Evelyn's punishment and pleasure. As Cynthia yearns for a more conventional relationship, Evelyn's obsession with erotic spells quickly becomes an addiction that may push the relationship to a breaking point.
Dripping with eroticism and dread, The Duke of Burgundy is a darkly decadent melodrama from Peter Strickland, the award winning writer and director of Berberian Sound Studio and Katalin Varga.
"Nothing if not a mood piece, but amid its atmospherics and winking asides, it's also a fascinating portrait of a relationship." - Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times
"Far from being mere pastiche or parody, the film manifests Strickland's rigorous regard for the form and determination to both honor and elevate it." - Steven Mears, Film Comment
"It's a love story, and also a perversely sincere (and sincerely perverse) labor of love." - A.O. Scott, New York Times
"A work of immense and intense emotional vigor, sprinkled with fun-loving traits and intellectually stimulating prowess, "The Duke of Burgundy" is the stuff dreams are made of." - Nikola Grozdanovic, The Playlist