Sensual and smart, Peter Strickland's The Duke of Burgundy is an alchemical combination of cinephilic homage, substantive erotics, and overwhelming style.
Day after day, Cynthia and Evelyn 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 erotica quickly becomes an addiction that may push the relationship to a breaking point. [104 min; romance, drama; English]
"Strickland’s densely layered, slyly funny portrayal of the sadomasochistic affair between two lesbian entomologists tips its hats to such masters of costumed erotica as Jess Franco, Tinto Brass and Jean Rollin, without ever cheapening its strange but affecting love story." — Scott Foundas, Variety
"What makes The Duke of Burgundy so affecting is how deftly Strickland and his remarkable actresses bring something as exotic as lesbian S&M into the realm of the ordinary and relatable." — Scott Tobias, The Dissolve
"The Duke of Burgundy [...] neither mocks its heroines nor the breathless, naughty screen tradition to which they belong. It’s a love story, and also a perversely sincere (and sincerely perverse) labor of love." — A.O. Scott, The New York Times
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