In a huge, lonely old house, a woman who studies butterflies lives out her life. She enlists the help of a young woman, who works for her as a maid, without knowing what lays in store for her. During the day, she works around the house as the woman conducts her studies. But if she does something wrong, or ever arrives late, the girl is punished. The punishment comes in a sexual form, and soon the girl begins to fall in love with the woman. But as the lines of pleasure and punishment become blurred, so too do the lines between love and servitude.
Peter Strickland ('Katalin Varga', 'Berberian Sound Studio') has written and directed this British drama film, 'The Duke of Burgundy'. The film premiered on 6th September 2014 at the Toronto International Film Festival, before moving on to the London Film Festival on 9th October 2014. It has appeared at the Hamptons International Film Festival, Philadelphia International Film Festival, AFI Fest, and Palm Springs International Film Festival in the US. 'The Duke of Burgundy' has received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, and is set to open theatrically in the UK on 20th February 2015.
Starring: Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D'Anna, Fatma Mohamed, Eugenia Caruso, Monica Swinn, Eszter Tompa, Kata Bartsch, Zita Kraszko