Yorgos Lanthimos | |
|---|---|
| Γιώργος Λάνθιμος | |
.jpg) Lanthimos at the2025 Venice Film Festival | |
| Born | Giorgos Lanthimos (1973-09-23)23 September 1973 (age 52) |
| Occupations | Filmmaker, theatre director |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse | |
| Awards | Full list |
Yorgos Lanthimos (/ˈlæn.θɪ.moʊs/;Greek:Γιώργος Λάνθιμος,romanized: Giorgos Lanthimos,[1]pronounced[ˈʝorɣosˈlanθimos]; born 23 September 1973) is a Greek filmmaker and theatre director. Often described as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation,[a] he has receivedmultiple accolades, including aBAFTA Award and aGolden Lion, as well as nominations for sixAcademy Awards and aGolden Globe Award.
Lanthimos started his career inexperimental theatre before making his directorial film debut with the sex comedyMy Best Friend (2001). He rose to prominence directing the psychological drama filmDogtooth (2009), which won theUn Certain Regard prize at theCannes Film Festival and was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Lanthimos transitioned to making English-language films with the black comedyThe Lobster (2015), which earned him a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and the psychological thrillerThe Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017).
Lanthimos collaborated with actressEmma Stone in the period black comediesThe Favourite (2018) andPoor Things (2023), and satirical black comediesKinds of Kindness (2024) andBugonia (2025). He received nominations for theAcademy Award for Best Director andBest Picture forThe Favourite andPoor Things, in addition to winning the Golden Lion for the latter.
Lanthimos was born in thePagrati neighbourhood ofAthens on 23 September 1973, the son of shop owner Eirini and basketball player Antonis Lanthimos.[9] His father played forPagrati BC and theGreek national basketball team, later serving as a basketball instructor at theMoraitis School.[10] Lanthimos was primarily raised by his mother.[9]
After completing his education at the Moraitis School, he studied business administration. He also followed his father into playing basketball for Pagrati BC.[11] His basketball career was cut short by injury and he subsequently decided to study film and television directing at the Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos in Athens.[9]
During the 1990s, Lanthimos directed a series of videos for Greek dance-theater companies. Since 1995 he has directed TV commercials, short films, experimental theater plays and music videos (such as forSakis Rouvas).[12] He also worked as a photographer for the covers and interior photos of Rouvas's albumsKati Apo Mena (1998) and21os Akatallilos (2000).[13][14] In 2004, he was a member of the creative team that designed theopening andclosing ceremonies of the2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.[12][15]
Lanthimos's feature film career started with the 2001 mainstream Greek comedy filmMy Best Friend, which he co-directed withLakis Lazopoulos.[16] Robert Koehler ofVariety declared "Lanthimos works mightily to make a big impression. As a result [the film] is asex farce on steroids, overflowing with energy and excessive curiosity about what the movie camera actually can do".[17]
His sophomore project was theexperimental andpsychological dramaKinetta, which premiered at the2005 Toronto Film Festival.[18] The film revolves around three nameless protagonists as they attempt to film and photograph various badly reenacted struggles between a man and a woman at a Greek hotel. The film earned mixed to negative reviews. Roger Moore ofMovie Nation described it as "overtly navel-gazing, obscure to the point of suggesting obscurant. It’s a 95 minute exercise inminimalism,behavior studies, psychology and boredom."[19] John DeFore ofThe Hollywood Reporter wrote a positive review he stating, "The standoffish debut holds some pleasures for patient viewers" adding, "Lanthimos enjoys provoking us visually...The camera’s gaze is as idiosyncratic as the visions the Driver tries to bring to life, but unlike him, the film seems satisfied with what it creates."[20]
In 2008 he directed a production ofNatura morta in un fosso written byFausto Paravidino at the Amore Theatre in Greece.[21][22]
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Lanthimos's third feature film, the Greek psychological dramaDogtooth, won theUn Certain Regard prize at the2009 Cannes Film Festival[23][24] and was nominated forBest Foreign Language Film at the83rd Academy Awards.[25] CriticRoger Ebert praised Lanthimos for "his command of visuals and performances".[26]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 ofLars Von Trier."[27] In 2010, he acted in and co-producedAttenberg, a Greek drama film directed byAthina Rachel Tsangari. His fourth feature film,Alps (2011), won the Osella Award for Best Screenplay at the68th Venice International Film Festival.[28] A. O. Scott ofThe New York Times described the film as "systematically unsettling our sense of what is normal and habitual in human interactions."[29]
Lanthimos's fifth film was theabsurdist black comedyThe Lobster (2015) starringColin Farrell,Rachel Weisz, andJohn C. Reilly. The script for this film won the ARTE International Award as Best CineMart Project at the 42ndInternational Film Festival Rotterdam.[30] The film was selected to compete for thePalme d'Or at the2015 Cannes Film Festival[31] and won theJury Prize.[32][33] Chris Nashawatay ofEntertainment Weekly praised the film, saying that "Lanthimos' films aren't for everyone. They're deadpan and almost clinically detached. At times they feel like dispatches from a distant alien planet."[34] Lanthimos directed a video vignette for theRadiohead song "Identikit", released on their 2016 albumA Moon Shaped Pool.[35]
In 2017, Lanthimos directed thepsychological horror filmThe Killing of a Sacred Deer starringColin Farrell,Nicole Kidman andBarry Keoghan. It premiered at the2017 Cannes Film Festival where it competed for thePalme d'Or.Mark Kermode ofThe Observer wrote: "As black comedy gives way to grand guignol, we are reminded of the tortured games thatMichael Haneke once played upon his bourgeois protagonists and audiences." He also compared it to films such asRoman Polanski'sRosemary's Baby,William Friedkin'sThe Exorcist (1973), andLynne Ramsay'sWe Need to Talk About Kevin.[36]
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In 2018 he directed theperiodblack comedy,The Favourite starringOlivia Colman,Emma Stone andRachel Weisz. The film is atragicomic tale of personal and political jealousy and intrigue revolving aroundAnne, Queen of Great Britain in 18th-century England. It made its debut at the75th Venice International Film Festival where it won theGrand Jury Prize.[37]The New York Times labeled the film a Critic's Pick withA.O. Scott writing, "Lanthimos, his camera gliding through gilded corridors and down stone staircases — in exquisitely patterned light and shadow, with weird lenses and startling angles — choreographs an elaborate pageant of decorum and violence, claustrophobia and release."[38] The film went on to tie with theAlfonso Cuaron directed drama filmRoma for the most nominations at91st Academy Awards, with ten, includingBest Picture andBest Director for Lanthimos (winning theAcademy Award for Best Actress forOlivia Colman).[39]
He then directed the16mm black and whitesilent shortBleat (2022) starring Emma Stone andDamien Bonnard.Bleat was co-commissioned by theGreek National Opera and Athens-based cultural foundationNEON.[40][41] The story, set on theGreek Cycladic island ofTinos, revolves around a woman in black who is mourning inside a simple house.[42][43] The film has been described asexperimental andsurrealist in style and focuses on themes ofloneliness, connection, death, anddesire as well as human and animal interaction.[44] The film has only been shown twice, first being at theStavros Niarchos Hall in Athens in 2022,[45] and the second atAlice Tully Hall at theNew York Film Festival in 2023.[46] Lanthimos designedBleat to be screened only in theaters with a live orchestra and chorus.[47]
In 2023, he directed and produced thecoming of agedark comedyPoor Things, which is based onthe 1992 novel of the same name.[48] The film marked the third collaboration between Lanthimos and Stone, and also featured performances fromMark Ruffalo,Willem Dafoe, andRamy Youssef. The film premiered at the80th Venice International Film Festival where it won theGolden Lion.[49]Kyle Smith ofThe Wall Street Journal described the film as "Sumptuous, dazzling and glorious".[50] The film earned eleven nominations at the96th Academy Awards, winning four (including theAcademy Award for Best Actress forEmma Stone) as well as seven nominations at the81st Golden Globe Awards, where it wonBest Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.[51] Lanthimos published a book of behind the scenes photographs in his first photography monograph 'Dear God, the Parthenon is still broken' (Void, 2024).[52]
For theanthology filmKinds of Kindness (2024), Lanthimos reunited with many actors he previously worked with such asEmma Stone,Willem Dafoe,Margaret Qualley, andJoe Alwyn and new collaboratorsJesse Plemons,Hong Chau, andHunter Schafer.[53] Originally titledAND, the film is centered around three separate stories, with the actors playing a different character in each. It premiered at the77th Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 2024, and was released on 21 June 2024 bySearchlight Pictures.[54] In January 2024, it was announced he would direct an English-language remake of the 2003 Korean science fiction comedySave the Green Planet! withAri Aster as co-producer; in May, it was announced that Stone and Plemons had been cast in the project, now titledBugonia.[55][56] The film premiered at the82nd Venice International Film Festival.[57] Also in 2025, he directed the music video "Beth's Farm" forJerskin Fendrix also starring Stone which was released on 29 July 2025.[58]
Lanthimos and Stone are both signatories of theFilm Workers for Palestine boycott pledge that was published in September 2025.[59] In January 2026, Lanthimos directed Stone on an ad forSquarespace for theSuper Bowl.[60]
In 2020, it was reported that Lanthimos was in talks to direct adaptations ofThe Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western,[61] withNew Regency andVertigo Entertainment joined as co-producers, following the announcement of aPop. 1280 project in 2019.[62] In 2024 it was reported that Lanthimos was working on an adaptation ofMy Year of Rest and Relaxation together with authorOttessa Moshfegh. In February 2025, it was reported that Lanthimos would write and direct an adaptation ofJean-Patrick Manchette's thrillerFatale withJames Schamus producing.[63]
Lanthimos has been widely described as one of the most talented and innovativeauteurs of his generation.[b] He is a part of a postmodern film movement known as theGreek Weird Wave. His filmsKinetta,Dogtooth, andAlps are greatly influenced by his Greek heritage. Similarly, his English-language filmsThe Lobster andThe Killing of a Sacred Deer continue to investigate similar thematic issues.[64]
Lanthimos's films often feature uniquely framed cinematography, deadpan acting, and characters with stilted speech.[65] Lanthimos’s films are known for mixingabsurdistdark comedy with violent and sexually explicit content, as well as eccentric world-building in his films with less grounded settings. He has often explored sexually taboo subjects in his films, such asrape andincest. His films are often sociopolitical in nature, and often explore the nature of power and its impact on the people who are vying for, using, or being exploited or influenced by it.[3][66][67]
In 2023, Lanthimos along withCosta-Gavras, was part of a campaign aiming to save historic cinemas in Athens from demolition. He said: “We should be able to understand the value of the historical cinemas of Athens for society and culture. I plead with those in charge and those with real power to do what is necessary,”[68]
At the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in August 2025, Lanthimos wore aPalestinian flag pin during the press conference and the premiere of his filmBugonia.[69]
In January 2026, Lanthimos was among 800 Hollywood professionals who signed a statement condemning theIranian regime for itsatrocities during the2025–2026 Iranian protests, where civilians were protesting against repression.[70]
While working as an actor and producer onAttenberg (2010), Lanthimos met and began dating the film's star, French actressAriane Labed.[71] They married in 2013.[72][73] They lived inLondon from 2011 until 2021, and now primarily reside inAthens.[74][75]
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | My Best Friend | Yes[c] | 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 |
| 2024 | Kinds of Kindness | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2025 | Bugonia | Yes | Yes | No |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | O viasmos tis Hlois[d] | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1995 | The Rape of Chloe[e] | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2001 | Uranisco Disco | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2013 | Necktie | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2019 | Nimic | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2022 | Bleat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 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[76] |
| Title | Year | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Deka Entoles" | 1998 | Despina Vandi | Deka Entoles |
| "Theleis I Den Theleis" | Sakis Rouvas | Kati Apo Mena | |
| "Tora Mou Milaei"[77] | Stella Georgiadou [Wikidata] | Apofasismeni | |
| "I Kardia Mou" | Sakis Rouvas | Kati Apo Mena | |
| "Den Ehi Sidera I Kardia Sou" | 1999 | ||
| "Ipirhes Panda" | |||
| "Andexa" | 2000 | 21os Akatallilos | |
| "Delfinaki" | |||
| "Andexa" (Club Mix) | 2001 | ||
| "Irthes"[f] | 2009 | Irthes | |
| "Identikit"[35] (video vignette) | 2016 | Radiohead | A Moon Shaped Pool |
| "Beth's Farm" | 2025 | Jerskin Fendrix | Once Upon a Time... In Shropshire |
Work Actor | 2001 | 2005 | 2009 | 2011 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | N/a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | |||||||||||
| Steve Krikris | 2 | ||||||||||
| Tina Papanikolaou | 2 | ||||||||||
| Aris Servetalis | 2 | ||||||||||
| Angeliki Papoulia | 3 | ||||||||||
| Ariane Labed | 2 | ||||||||||
| Colin Farrell | 2 | ||||||||||
| Olivia Colman | 2 | ||||||||||
| Anthony Dougall | 2 | ||||||||||
| Rachel Weisz | 2 | ||||||||||
| Alicia Silverstone | 2 | ||||||||||
| Emma Stone | 4 | ||||||||||
| John Locke | 2 | ||||||||||
| Joe Alwyn | 2 | ||||||||||
| Willem Dafoe | 2 | ||||||||||
| Jerskin Fendrix | 3 | ||||||||||
| Yorgos Stefanakos | 2 | ||||||||||
| Margaret Qualley | 2 | ||||||||||
| Jesse Plemons | 2 |
| Year | Title | Academy Awards | BAFTA Awards | Golden Globe Awards | Critics Choice Awards | Producers, Directors and Writers Guild Awards | Actor Awards | European Film Awards | Total Award Nominations and Wins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | ||
| 2005 | Kinetta | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Dogtooth | 1 | 42 | 21 | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | Alps | 12 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| 2015 | The Lobster | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 117 | 33 | ||||||||
| 2017 | The Killing of a Sacred Deer | 3 | 60 | 7 | |||||||||||||
| 2018 | The Favourite | 10 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 539 | 187 | ||
| 2019 | Nimic | 8 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Poor Things | 11 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 546 | 120 | ||||
| 2024 | Kinds of Kindness | 1 | 12 | 3 | |||||||||||||
| 2025 | Bugonia | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 125 | 9 | ||||||
| Total | 27 | 5 | 29 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 31 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 24 | 11 | 1462 | 387 | |||
According to IMDb*
Directed Academy Award performances
Under Lanthimos' direction, these actors have received the Academy Award nominations and wins for their performances in their respective roles.
| Year | Performer | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Award for Best Actress | |||
| 2018 | Olivia Colman | The Favourite | Won |
| 2023 | Emma Stone | Poor Things | Won |
| 2025 | Bugonia | Pending | |
| Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor | |||
| 2023 | Mark Ruffalo | Poor Things | Nominated |
| Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress | |||
| 2018 | Emma Stone | The Favourite | Nominated |
| Rachel Weisz | Nominated | ||
Yorgos Lanthimos has become one of the most distinctive and exciting directors working today.
Over the last two decades or so, Yorgos Lanthimos has proven himself to be one of the most interesting and innovative directors of his generation.
The filmmaker's skewed visions have made him one of Europe's most intriguing talents.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Films directed byYorgos Lanthimos | |
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