Yorgos Lanthimos
Γεώργιος Λάνθιμος
Lanthimos in October 2023
Born
Georgios Lanthimos

(1973-09-23) 23 September 1973
Athens, Greece
OccupationFilmmaker
Years active2001–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​

Georgios "Yorgos" Lanthimos (Greek: Γιώργος Λάνθιμος;[1] IPA: [ˈʝorɣoz ˈlanθimos]; born 23 September 1973) is a Greek filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Film Award and a Golden Globe, as well as three nominations for Academy Awards.

Lanthimos' early films include My Best Friend (2001), Kinetta (2005), and Dogtooth (2009). The latter won the Un Certain Regard prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. In 2015, he began to transition from Greek-language to English-language films. He received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The Lobster (2015) and nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director and Academy Award for Best Picture for The Favourite (2018). His latest film, Poor Things (2023), won the Golden Lion at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.

Early life

Lanthimos was born in the Pagrati neighbourhood of Athens on 23 September 1973, the son of shop owner Eirini and basketball player Antonis Lanthimos.[2] His father played for Pagrati BC and the Greek national basketball team, later serving as a basketball instructor at the Moraitis School.[3] Lanthimos was primarily raised by his mother.[2]

After completing his education at the Moraitis School, he studied business administration. He also followed his father into playing basketball for Pagrati BC.[4] He was a notably skilled basketball player, averaging 7 points and 5 rebounds,[5] but stopped playing after dropping out from his business studies.[6] He instead studied film and television directing at the Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos in Athens.[2]

Career

During the 1990s, Lanthimos directed a series of videos for Greek dance-theater companies. Since 1995 he has directed TV commercials, music videos, short films and experimental theater plays.[7] He was also a member of the creative team that designed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.[7][8]

Lanthimos' feature film career started with the 2001 mainstream film My Best Friend, which he co-directed with Lakis Lazopoulos, and the experimental film Kinetta, which premiered at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival.[9]

His third feature film, a Greek psychological drama Dogtooth, won the Un Certain Regard prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival[10][11] and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards.[12] Critic Roger Ebert praised Lanthimos for "his command of visuals and performances".[13] The Associated Press described the film as "Disturbing and at times startlingly brutal, the film will alienate those who seek genteel fare at the art house. But its edgy integrity and distinctive atmosphere should win fans in some corners, particularly among those who admire the less tongue-in-cheek work of Lars Von Trier."[14] In 2010, he acted in and co-produced Attenberg, a Greek drama film directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari. His fourth feature film, Alps (2011), won the Osella Award for Best Screenplay at the 68th Venice International Film Festival.[15] A.O. Scott of The New York Times described the film as "systematically unsettling our sense of what is normal and habitual in human interactions."[16]

Lanthimos in September 2015

Lanthimos' fifth film was the absurdist black comedy The Lobster (2015) starring Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, and John C. Reilly. The script for Lanthimos' won the ARTE International Award as Best CineMart Project at the 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam.[17] The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival[18] and won the Jury Prize.[19][20] Chris Nashawatay of Entertainment Weekly praised the film describing it as "the most original and beautifully strange love story since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)". He added, "Lanthimos' films aren't for everyone. They're deadpan and almost clinically detached. At times they feel like dispatches from a distant alien planet."[21]

In 2017, Lanthimos directed the psychological horror film The Killing of a Sacred Deer starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Barry Keoghan. It premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival where it competed for the Palme d'Or. Mark Kermode of The Guardian wrote: "As black comedy gives way to grand guignol, we are reminded of the tortured games that Michael Haneke once played upon his bourgeois protagonists and audiences." He also compared the film to The Exorcist, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and Rosemary's Baby.[22]

At the 75th Venice Film Festival, he presented his latest work, a period black comedy The Favourite (2018), where it won the Grand Jury Prize. The film starred Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. The film tied with Roma for the most nominations at 91st Academy Awards, with ten, including Best Picture and Best Director for Lanthimos.[23] Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote, "Set in the court of Queen Anne during the early 1700s, with jaunty dollops of classical music playing in ironic counterpart to all the low-minded chicanery, the movie is Barry Lyndon meets Dangerous Liaisons meets All About Eve with blood flourishes lifted from Peter Greenaway."[24]

In February 2019, it was reported that Lanthimos was working on an adaptation of the Jim Thompson 1964 novel Pop. 1280, which he is set to write and direct.[25] He presented his fourth English-language film, Poor Things, at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Golden Lion.[26] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times described the film as "visually sumptuous and gleefully clever".[27]

Style and themes

Lanthimos is a part of a postmodern film movement known as the Greek Weird Wave. His films Kinetta, Dogtooth, and Alps are greatly influenced by his Greek heritage. Similarly, his English-language films The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer continue to investigate similar thematic issues.[28]

Lanthimos' films often feature uniquely framed cinematography, deadpan acting, and characters with stilted speech.[29] The Favourite is an example of his pessimistic worldview in this regard, as it is a non-comedy that significantly expands the themes of his recent anti-tragedies. Other themes include cruelty to animals, physical disabilities, body-swapping, and unrequited love.[30]

Personal life

While working as an actor and producer on Attenberg (2010), Lanthimos met and began dating the film's star, Greek-French actress Ariane Labed.[31] They married in 2013.[32][33] They lived in London from 2011 until 2021, and now primarily reside in Athens.[34][35]

Filmography

Short film

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1995 O viasmos tis Hlois Yes Yes Yes Also editor
2001 Uranisco Disco Yes Yes No
2013 Necktie Yes Yes Yes
2019 Nimic Yes Yes No
2022 Bleat Yes Yes Yes

Feature film

Year Title Director Producer Writer
2001 My Best Friend Yes No No
2005 Kinetta Yes No Yes
2009 Dogtooth Yes Yes Yes
2011 Alps Yes Yes Yes
2015 The Lobster Yes Yes Yes
2017 The Killing of a Sacred Deer Yes Yes Yes
2018 The Favourite Yes Yes No
2023 Poor Things Yes Yes No
TBA Kinds of Kindness Yes Yes Yes

Theatre

Year Title Notes
2002 D.D.D Theatro tou Notou (Amore-Dokimes)
2004 Bluebeard Theatro Porta
2008 Natura morta in un fosso Theatro tou Notou (Amore)
2011 Platonov National Theatre of Greece[36]

Recurring collaborators

Work
Actor
20012005200920112015201720182023TBA
Steve Krikris
Tina Papanikolaou
Aris Servetalis
Angeliki Papoulia
Ariane Labed
Colin Farrell
Olivia Colman
Anthony Dougall
Rachel Weisz
Emma Stone
John Locke
Joe Alwyn
Willem Dafoe
Margaret Qualley

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by Lanthimos' films
Year Title Academy Awards BAFTA Awards Golden Globe Awards
Nominations Wins Nominations Wins Nominations Wins
2009 Dogtooth 1
2015 The Lobster 1 1 1
2018 The Favourite 10 1 12 7 5 1
Total 12 1 13 7 6 1

Actors' awarded performances

Under Lanthimos' direction, these actors have received the Academy Award nominations for their performances in their respective roles.

Year Performer Role Film Result
Academy Award for Best Actress
2019 Olivia Colman Queen Anne The Favourite Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
2019 Emma Stone Abigail Hill The Favourite Nominated
Rachel Weisz Lady Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "ΥΠΕΣ - ΔΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΗ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΟΝΙΚΗΣ ΔΙΑΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΗΣ Father's name:ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ Mother's name: ΕΙΡΗΝΗ" [MINISTRY - DIRECTORATE OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE] (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2023-09-05. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  2. 1 2 3 Stacey G. Julien (2019-02-07). Yorgos Lanthimos - WTF with Marc Maron podcast. Archived from the original on 2019-07-16. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  3. ↑ "Ο Γιώργος Λάνθιμος διαπρέπει στο Φεστιβάλ της Βενετίας". glow.gr. Archived from the original on 2019-01-24. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
  4. ↑ https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/816072/yorgos-lanthimos-from-the-greek-first-division-to-the-oscars/
  5. ↑ "Yorgos Lanthimos played in a higher tier Greek League than Giannis Antetokounmpo". 22 February 2019.
  6. ↑ Παπαδογιάννης, Νίκος (19 December 2018). "Αντώνης Λάνθιμος: Το μήλο του δεν έπεσε κάτω από τη μηλιά…". Documento (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2019-01-24. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
  7. 1 2 Sakaridis, Yannis. "10 Greek Filmmakers to Watch". Raindance Film Festival. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  8. ↑ "DOGTOOTH - Press Kit" (PDF). Cannes Film Festival. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  9. ↑ Pavlaki, Despina (2009-10-25). "Film: Dogtooth". Athens News. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  10. ↑ "Un Certain Regard Awards Ceremony". Cannes Film Festival. 23 May 2009. Archived from the original on 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  11. ↑ Hernandez, Eugene (2009-05-23). ""Dogtooth" Wins Top Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  12. ↑ "Nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  13. ↑ "Dogtooth movie review". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Dogtooth - film review". The Hollywood Reporter. 14 October 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  15. ↑ "La Biennale di Venezia - Official Awards of the 69th Venice Film Festival". Archived from the original on 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
  16. ↑ Scott, A.O. (12 July 2012). "Beyond Word Games, Puzzles About Reality". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 January 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ↑ "Yorgos Lanthimos' Next Is The Lobster!". IMDb. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  18. ↑ "2015 Official Selection". Cannes Film Festival. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  19. ↑ Henry Barnes (24 May 2015). "Cannes 2015: Jacques Audiard's Dheepan wins the Palme d'Or". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  20. ↑ Rebecca Ford (24 May 2015). "Cannes: 'Dheepan' Wins the Palme d'Or". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  21. ↑ "'The Lobster': EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  22. ↑ Kermode, Mark (5 November 2017). "The Killing of a Sacred Deer review – uneasy about a boy". The Guardian. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Oscar Winners 2019: The Complete List". Variety. 24 February 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  24. ↑ "Film Review: The Favourite". Variety. 30 August 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  25. ↑ Fleming, Mike (22 February 2019). "Yorgos Lanthimos to Write, Direct 'Pop. 1280' for Imperative Entertainment & Element Pictures". Deadline. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  26. ↑ "Biennale Cinema 2023 | Poor Things". La Biennale di Venezia. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  27. ↑ Dargis, Manohla (7 December 2023). "'Poor Things' Review: Monster Mash". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 January 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ↑ Katsaris, Violetta (2022-04-30). "How Yorgos Lanthimos Defines the Greek Weird Wave". Collider. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  29. ↑ "The evolution of Yorgos Lanthimos in five films". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  30. ↑ Scott, Cam (2003-03-21). "Favouritism In The Field of Vision: Yorgos Lanthimos' The Favourite – Senses of Cinema". Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  31. ↑ "Ariane Labed, la révélation de Fidelio, l'Odyssée d'Alice". L'Express. 24 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-09-10. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
  32. ↑ "Portrait d'une jeune actrice : Ariane Labed, héroine de Fidelio, l'odyssée d'Alice". AlloCiné. 24 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
  33. ↑ "Tank Magazine". Tank Magazine. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  34. ↑ Romney, Jonathan (9 December 2018). "Yorgos Lanthimos, director of The Lobster, on his wild, star-studded life of Queen Anne". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "Ariane Labed: 'It's a fight if you want to shoot on film.'". Little White Lies. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  36. ↑ Ο Λάνθιμος στο Εθνικό (in Greek). Athens-Macedonian News Agency. 2011-02-01. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
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