Rook Films to produce Strickland’s third feature, described as “a dark melodrama” about an amateur moth collector.

Rook Films is to produce Peter Strickland’s third feature, The Duke of Burgundy.

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Set to shoot in 2013, the dark melodrama will star Chiara D’Anna (Berberian Sound Studio) as an amateur moth and butterfly collector whose wayward desires test the limits of her lover’s tolerance. Development backing comes from the BFI Film Fund.

The Duke of Burgundy is the first non-Ben Wheatley film to be produced by the UK production outfit Rook Films. Andy Starke of Rook said: “We have a slate of projects with a group of very talented writer directors from around the world. Berberian Sound Studio was my favourite film of 2012 so it’s fantastic to be opening up with Peter’s new film. His unique take on genre cinema is a perfect match for Rook and we’re incredibly excited by this project.”

Strickland picked up a Best Director BIFA on Sunday for second feature Berberian Sound Studio, which won four BIFAs in total.  He made his debut with acclaimed drama Katalin Varga.

Rook’s feature slate also includes Wheatley’s English Civil War film A Field In England as well as the director’s Freakshift and claymation film Mega Evil Motherfuckers!, Sidharth Srinivasan’s Varanasi set Indian horror The Penance, and Whitaker, the debut feature by director Jim Hosking, described as “Re-animator meets This is England”.