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Yorgos Lanthimos is a renowned Greek film director, screenwriter, and producer who has garnered international acclaim for his distinctive approach to filmmaking and cinematography.
Lanthimos had a brief career in professional basketball as a member of Pagrati BC, a then-first-division Greek Basketball League team. He followed in his father's footsteps and played in the 1991–92 season before leaving to study cinema and directing at the Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stravrakos in Athens.
During his early career, Lanthimos worked with Greek theater companies to film ballets and dance performances and later moved to directing commercials, music videos, shorts, and theatrical plays.
His first major step into the feature film industry came with the 2001 film My Best Friend, which he co-directed with Lakis Lazopoulos. But in 2005, he directed his own film, Kinetta, which premiered at the 2005 TIFF. The experimental psychological drama received critical acclaim for Lanthimos' intriguing direction paired with minimalist cinematography.
While Kinetta put him on the international stage, his following works cemented his position as an acclaimed auteur. Lanthimos' work is characterized by his dark and unsettling plots, surreal world building, employment of absurdist dark humor, and unique approach to depicting relationships.
If this piques your interest, you can wait for his upcoming film, Poor Things, which will be released later this year in September. However, if you can't wait and want to explore his portfolio further, we have got you covered. In this article, we list out some of Lanthimos' best films that you can check out before his latest film drops.
The Favourite, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and 3 more titles from Yorgos Lanthimos' filmography that you need to see
1) The Favourite
The Favourite is a period dark comedy from the house of Fox Searchlight Pictures. With direction and production helmed by Lanthimos, the screenplay was written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. The cast featured prominent actors like Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz in leading roles.
The Favourite was originally released at the 2018 Venice International Film Festival, where it received the Grand Jury Prize. Olivia Colman bagged the Volpi Cup, the Academy Award, and many other accolades for Best Actress. Both commercially and critically successful, praise went to the performances by the leads and Lanthimos' direction.
The official synopsis for the film reads:
"Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper."
"When a new servant Abigail arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way."
2) Dogtooth
Dogtooth is a Greek psychological thriller from the house of Feelgood Entertainment that was released in 2009. Other than directing, Yorgos Lanthimos also co-wrote the screenplay with Efthimis Filippou, along with co-producing the film.
The film cast Christos Stergioglou, Michelle Valley, Angeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Christos Passalis, and Anna Kalaitzidou in pivotal roles. The film premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Prix Un Certain Regard and Prix de la jeunesse. Dogtooth was a critic's favorite, with the surrealism, dark and nightmarish plotline, and undertoned horror receiving extensive praise.
The film tells the story of a family that has confined their children to their property, keeping them away from all types of communication from the outside world. With strict control over their lives and an understanding of the world, the family navigates a unique and nightmarish life. But with a growing curiosity, the children start questioning their existence and desires, aiming for freedom.
3) The Lobster
The Lobster is an absurdist dark comedy romance drama that was an international co-production between Greece, the UK, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the US. Lanthimos directed, co-wrote, and co-produced the film.
The film was released at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and won the Jury Prize for its praiseworthy theme, screenplay, and dark humor. The cast featured Collin Farrell in the central role alongside prominent actors like Rachel Weisz, Jessica Barden, Ashley Jensen, Olivia Colman, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, John C. Reilly, and others in supporting roles.
The official synopsis for The Lobster reads:
"A love story set in the near future where single people, according to the rules of The City, are arrested and transferred to The Hotel. There they are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days. If they fail, they are transformed into an animal of their choosing and released into The Woods. A desperate Man escapes from The Hotel to The Woods where The Loners live and falls in love, although it is against their rules."
4) The Killing of a Sacred Deer
The Killing of a Sacred Deer is another psychological horror thriller from the mind of Yorgos Lanthimos. The screenplay was co-written with Efthymis Filippou, a writer who often collaborates with Lanthimos. The cast featured Collin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Suny Suljic, and others in pivotal roles.
Released in 2017, The Killing of a Sacred Deer received praise for its directorial nuances. The style of horror that the film propagated has been a subject of acclaim among critics, along with the impressive cinematography and sound design.
The film revolves around renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Stephen Murphy and his idealistic family: his opthalmologist wife, Anna, and two perfect children, Bob and Kim. However, his perfect life is overturned when he takes a fatherless teen, Martin, under his care.
"As Martin begins insinuating himself into the family’s life in ever-more unsettling displays, the full scope of his intent becomes menacingly clear when he confronts Steven with a long-forgotten transgression that will shatter the Murphy family's domestic bliss."
5) Alps
Alps is a Greek psychological drama from the house of Haos Film that was released in 2011. Another auteur work from Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou helped in the writing, with Anthina Rachel Tsangari co-producing. The film premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Ostella for Best Screenplay.
The film casts Angeliki Papoulia, Stavros Psyllakis, Aris Servetalis, Johnny Vekris, and others in pivotal roles. According to multiple critics, the film somewhat reminds the audience of Dogtooth. However, according to the director, Alps is the complete opposite of his previous film thematically.
The film tells the story of a group of people who call themselves the Alps. Their service is targeted at a niche group of grieving people to help them deal with the loss by visiting them as their recently deceased loved ones. But imitating and becoming other people has its own consequences for the members and their personal lives, blurring the lines between reality and performance.
These were some of our top picks from Yogos Lanthimos' filmography that you should definitely check out.
His latest movie, Poor Things, is set to premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival in August before releasing theatrically on September 8, 2023. If you like his other works, then be sure to catch this on the large screen.
