The Duke of Burgundy

Completed2014United Kingdom, Hungary104 min

Cynthia and Evelyn share a secluded home where carefully repeated rituals give shape to their intimate relationship. The apparent arrangement of…Read more +Read less −

Cynthia and Evelyn share a secluded home where carefully repeated rituals give shape to their intimate relationship. The apparent arrangement of authority is less straightforward than it first appears: each woman has expectations about how their encounters should unfold, and meeting those expectations requires work. Away from the elaborate scenarios they create, ordinary needs for reassurance, rest and tenderness begin to surface. Their shared interest in butterflies and moths provides another world of classification and repetition, echoing the patterns of domestic life. The film follows a couple negotiating the difference between a fantasy that remains exciting and a routine that becomes demanding. Affection must find a place within desires that do not always move at the same pace.

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Drama Romance

Sapphic characters & cast

Sidse Babett Knudsen

as Cynthia

Main sapphic character

1968-11-22Sagittarius

Official platform credited performer publicity portrait

Chiara D’Anna

as Evelyn

Main sapphic character

Chris Saunders / official Chiara D’Anna publicity portrait; rights pending

YOUR FIRST LOOK

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Details & credits

Country: United Kingdom, Hungary
Language: English
Premiere: 2015-02-13
Runtime: 104 minutes
Director: Peter Strickland

Exact-film official platform titled key art; rights pending

Artwork source & permission status

Editorial review approved — rights not independently confirmed

Exact-film official platform titled key art; rights pending

Original publication ↗

Sources & editorial notes (7)

Last researched 2026-10-31. Editorially approved.

year: Exact film identity and substantive sapphic lead/story evidence
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description: Exact film identity and substantive sapphic lead/story evidence
trailer url: Official Independent Film Company / IFC Films trailer
watch links: Official exact-film viewing destination, subject to territory, entitlement and edition restrictions
western cast: Exact film identity and substantive sapphic lead/story evidence
premiere date: Exact selected territorial/platform release date, not necessarily first world premiere
runtime minutes: Exact film identity and substantive sapphic lead/story evidence
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