The Draughtman’s Contract

In an apparently idyllic 17th century Wiltshire, an ambitious draughtsman is commissioned by the wife of an aristocrat to produce twelve drawings of her husband’s estate and negotiates terms to include sexual favours from his employer. But when a corpse is dragged from the moat, the draughtsman’s drawings may reveal more than he realised. This witty, stylised and erotic country-house murder mystery established Peter Greenaway as a director of international status. Extravagant costumes, a twisting plot, elegantly barbed dialogue and a mesmerising score by Michael Nyman make the film a treat for ear, eye and mind.

A film that is forty years old. Made in 1982 about events in 1694. Elaborate, stylised, enjoyable, spiteful and mysterious, a film in black, white and green. With sheep. Eminently enigmatic. Always associated with frames, so much so indeed that a framing device of the late 1600s is on hand to remind you that what is outside the frame is strictly irrelevant. The French newspapers described Peter Greenaway as a cinematic dandy and the English, once they had passed their enthusiasm for being outside their comfort zone, slowly warmed to it. Shot on 16mm blown up to 35mm for cinema release, it surprised the art-cinema circuit and irritated some English cinematic luminaries to declare that filming in England was no longer tenable if such films were going to be made there henceforth.
I am delighted at its re-mastering.
Peter Greenaway

PRODUCTION 1: Kieron Webb, Josephine Botting – British Film Institute
21 Stephen Street
W1T 1LN – London, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 2072551444
sales.films@bfi.org.uk

PRODUCTION 2: David Payne – British Film Institute
c/o British Film Institute, 21 Stephen Street
W1T 1LN – London, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 2072551444
sales.films@bfi.org.uk

RESTORATION CURATED BY: Kieron Webb, Josephine Botting – British Film Institute, and Peter Greenaway
21 Stephen Street
W1T 1LN – London, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 2072551444
sales.films@bfi.org.uk

WORLD SALES: Marta Ravani – HanWay Films Limited
8 Basing Street
W11 1ET – London, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 2072900750
Mob. +39 3479569916
mr@hanwayfilms.com

ITALIAN DISTRIBUTION: Dario Bonazzelli – I Wonder Pictures
Via della Zecca 2
40121 – Bologna, Italia
Mob. +39 3459653129
bonazelli@iwonderpictures.com

PRESS OFFICE: Sarah Bemand – British Film Institute
21 Stephen Street
W1T 1LN – London, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 2079578940
sarah.bemand@bfi.org.uk

ITALIAN PRESS OFFICE: Stefania Collalto – Echo Entertainment
Via Giovanni da Procida 3
20149 – Milano, Italia
Mob. +39 3394279472
collalto@echogroup.it