Following his revenge thriller Katalin Varga and the Giallo-inspired horrors of Berberian Sound Studio, British director Peter Strickland repeats his knack of transforming traditionally lowbrow genres into exceptionally stylised works of art: this, his latest, is a warped reconfiguration of vintage erotic melodrama into something altogether darker and deeper.

The Duke of Burgundy chronicles the increasingly intimate relationship between wealthy amateur lepidopterist (that’s a person who specialises in the study of butterflies to you and I) Cynthia (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and her newly hired housekeeper, Evelyn (Chiara D’Anna). Expressing their love for each other through ritual sado-masochist role-play, Cynthia, the cool ice queen, seemingly dominates the obliging Evelyn who submits to her progressively extreme humiliations with startling relish. However, when Cynthia starts to suffer from performance fatigue the relationship begins to unravel as Evelyn’s obedience begins to give way to criticism and provocation.

Kinky as a coiled rope and seductively surreal, the sumptuously vintage tone is supported by an enveloping orchestral score by pop duo Cat’s Eyes, and material that in the wrong hands might easily have tipped into the trashy is instead a bold and sensual exploration of power dynamics and female intimacy. A tied up and twisted masterpiece.

• The evening screening of The Duke of Burgundy on Tue 3 March is part of our Cinébites deal: get a cinema ticket, veggie or meat cassoulet, and a drink (wine/beer or soft drink) for only £15.

Ticket prices: Screenings before 16:00: £5.50 full / £4.00 concessions. Screenings after 16:00: £8.00 full / £6.50 concessions.

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