The Duke Of Burgundy (2015)
81%RT Audience Score: 65%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 28 nominations
Stylish, sensual, and smart, The Duke of Burgundy proves that erotic cinema can have genuine substance
The Duke of Burgundy is a visually stunning film that explores the complexities of female sexuality and relationships. It’s like a beautiful butterfly, delicate and intricate, but with a dark and twisted underside. And while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s definitely worth a watch for those who appreciate artful cinema and a good mind-bending story. Plus, who doesn’t love a little bit of voyeurism, fetishism, and high-flown naughtiness galore?
Production Company(ies)
Brooksfilms
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Leányfalu, Hungary
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2015
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 46m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United Kingdom
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 23, 2015 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 29, 2015
Genre(s)
Keyword(s)
starring Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D’Anna, Eugenia Caruso, Monica Swinn, Fatma Mohamed, Eszter Tompa, directed by Peter Strickland, written by Peter Strickland, produced by Andrew Starke, Drama, LGBTQ+, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Fikri, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Philippa Hawker, J R Jones, Geoff Pevere, Peter Howell, Merryn Johns, Jason Adams, Dan Brightmore, Dustin Chang, Brent McKnight, Chris Alexander, MPAA rating, entomologists, dominance, subservience, female sexuality, erotic cinema, ritual games, insect collection, relationships, power dynamics, co-dependency, middle-class, repetition, exploitation, dead animals, butterflies, insects, formaldehyde, artful, shallow, middle-class indulgence, stylish, sensual, smart, genuine substance, female-centered, voyeurism, fetishism, bondage, lingerie, humor, pathos, trapped, insects, cinematic mind games, strong women, center of a film, hackneyed, dull, false, dreamy, moving, visually and sonically vivid, mesmerizing portrayal, human relationships, selfishness, selflessness, power, submission, endlessly reversed, sensorial pleasure, technically irreproachable, wonderful score, outstanding sound design, intelligent, true to life, love, relationships
Worldwide gross: $185,147
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $231,113
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,908
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 25,203
US/Canada gross: $64,521
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $80,540
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,688
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,902
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,857
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,607
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $1,248,268
Production budget ranking: 2,077
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $672,193
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$1,689,348
ROI to date (est.): -88%
ROI ranking: 1,950
Chiara D’Anna – Evelyn
Eugenia Caruso – Dr. Fraxini
Monica Swinn – Lorna
Fatma Mohamed – The Carpenter
Eszter Tompa – Dr. Viridana
Director(s)
Peter Strickland
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Andrew Starke
Film Festivals
Sundance, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 28 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (108) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (102) | Rotten (6)
What I really appreciated about the film was that it was most definitely not made for the male gaze, which was my no. 1 fear upon hearing it was yet another sexy lesbian film directed by a man.
August 12, 2021
Fikri
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
Beautiful, sexy, funny and tragic, with its all-women cast and sole focus on female sexuality it is clear evidence that mainstream cinema’s aversion to strong women as the centre of a film is hackneyed, dull, and simply false.
August 25, 2018 | Rating: 9/10
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
The Blue Lenses
TOP CRITIC
It’s a visually rich, tactile film with two beautifully observed, subtle performances at its centre.
September 11, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Philippa Hawker
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
[Peter Strickland’s] new movie has more going on than cinematic mind games.
March 12, 2015
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
There’s voyeurism, fetishism, bondage, lingerie and high-flown naughtiness galore, but that’s hardly the movie’s most conspicuous achievement.
February 27, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Geoff Pevere
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
The Duke of Burgundy is no mere style exercise or slavish homage. Strickland finds both humour and pathos in the situation of Cynthia and Evelyn, who are every bit as trapped as the insects they collect and catalogue.
February 26, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
This low budget feature has enough sumptuous art direction and clever cinematic touches to make it a solid movie of the art house variety. The camera is beautifully positioned in every shot.
May 19, 2022
Merryn Johns
Curve
The Duke of Burgundy unravels sex itself, with all its weird and messy and private neuroses, into something unexpected and strange and shockingly honest – it makes sex into love again
January 10, 2022
Jason Adams
My New Plaid Pants
A mesmerising portrayal of human relationships.
May 27, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Dan Brightmore
NME
Strickland confirms himself as one of the leading visual stylists. The Duke of Burgundy lasts a twee bit long for my taste. I would’ve been perfectly content with the butterfly/moth montage sequence 2/3rd way in as the end.
February 14, 2021
Dustin Chang
Floating World
A small story of extremes, The Duke of Burgundy is dreamy and moving, visually and sonically vivid, and completely unlike anything you’re going to see elsewhere.
July 6, 2020 | Rating: A
Brent McKnight
The Last Thing I See
It’s about selfishness and selflessness, power and submission and how these dynamics are endlessly reversed. And it’s dressed up in so much cinematic finery, both eerie and lush, that it has a sensorial pleasure unlike any other movie before it.
May 30, 2020
Chris Alexander
Alexander On Film…
Plot
Two entomologists play ritual games of dominance and subservience in this stylish and sensual drama, exploring themes of female sexuality and power dynamics.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Duke of Burgundy features an all-women cast, including Sidse Babett Knudsen and Chiara D’Anna.
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