The British arthouse period movie Lady Macbeth was a triumph on the festival circuit last year, and is finally arriving in cinemas with big buzz surrounding 21-year-old rising-star actress Florence Pugh.

Based not on Shakespeare but rather a 19th century Russian novel, it's the story of Katherine, a woman straining to take control of her life on the male-dominated English countryside. "When I read the script," Pugh says. "Katherine grew bigger and better in every scene, and I got totally drawn into her story. I'd never come across a character like this. As a young actress, you don't often find roles like this!"

Florence Pugh in Lady MacbethFlorence Pugh in Lady Macbeth

Pugh thinks the character is shocking because she's living in 1865. "When we watch period dramas, we kind of expect what's going to happen to the women - they either kill themselves or they live this incredibly boring and horrendous life," she says. "We're not used to seeing a woman kick back in the way Katherine does, and if we ever do, it's the man being cheeky or naughty. Or realising he likes sex. But here we're seeing a very modern story in a very period film."

What Katherine does as the story goes along is increasingly disturbing, but Pugh said she had no trouble identifying with her. "She is just a girl and she's put in these situations where she has to react," Pugh says. "I think that's why so many people are excited and confused about this film. Why shouldn't she act in the way she does? She's pushed and so she pushes back. She's feisty and born into the wrong era."

As the film has screened at festivals, Pugh has been amused by the audience reaction to the character. "At lots of the screenings, people won't come and talk to me afterwards," she laughs. "I think Katherine does scare people, maybe because they're also scared by themselves. We support her until the end, and it's only at the last strike where we all go, 'Oh my God, I've been applauding her throughout this entire film when actually she's done some really messed up stuff.' It's that funny feeling you have with yourself as much as the feeling that you have for Katherine."

Pugh is aware that playing this role has set her bar higher for future projects. She recently finished filming Fighting With My Family, in which she plays a WWE wrestler opposite The Rock. "Now I'm trying to find another amazing woman I want to play," she says. "Feisty women are my calling!"

Watch the trailer for Lady Macbeth: