Yorgos Lanthimos

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. His father played for Pagrati BC and the Greek national basketball team, later serving as a basketball instructor at the Moraitis School. Lanthimos was primarily raised by his mother.

After completing his education at the Moraitis School, he studied business administration. He also followed his father into playing basketball for Pagrati BC. 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.

Career

1995–2008: Rise to prominence

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 for Sakis Rouvas). He also worked as a photographer for the covers and interior photos of Rouvas's albums Kati Apo Mena (1998) and 21os Akatallilos (2000). In 2004, he was a member of the creative team that designed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

Lanthimos's feature film career started with the 2001 mainstream Greek comedy film My Best Friend, which he co-directed with Lakis Lazopoulos. Robert Koehler of Variety declared "Lanthimos works mightily to make a big impression. As a result [the film] is a sex farce on steroids, overflowing with energy and excessive curiosity about what the movie camera actually can do".

His sophomore project was the experimental and psychological drama Kinetta, which premiered at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. 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 of Movie Nation described it as "overtly navel-gazing, obscure to the point of suggesting obscurant. It’s a 95 minute exercise in minimalism, behavior studies, psychology and boredom." John DeFore of The 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."

In 2008 he directed a production of Natura morta in un fosso written by Fausto Paravidino at the Amore Theatre in Greece.

2009–2017: Breakthrough and acclaim

Lanthimos's third feature film, the Greek psychological drama Dogtooth, won the Un Certain Regard prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards. Critic Roger Ebert praised Lanthimos for "his command of visuals and performances". 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." 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. 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."

Lanthimos's fifth film was the absurdist black comedy The Lobster (2015) starring Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, and John C. Reilly. The script for this film won the ARTE International Award as Best CineMart Project at the 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and won the Jury Prize. Chris Nashawatay of Entertainment 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." Lanthimos directed a video vignette for the Radiohead song "Identikit", released on their 2016 album A Moon Shaped Pool.

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 Observer 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 it to films such as Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, William Friedkin's The Exorcist (1973), and Lynne Ramsay's We Need to Talk About Kevin.

2018–present: Collaborations with Emma Stone

In 2018 he directed the period black comedy, The Favourite starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. The film is a tragicomic tale of personal and political jealousy and intrigue revolving around Anne, Queen of Great Britain in 18th-century England. It made its debut at the 75th Venice International Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury Prize. The New York Times labeled the film a Critic's Pick with A.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." The film went on to tie with the Alfonso Cuaron directed drama film Roma for the most nominations at 91st Academy Awards, with ten, including Best Picture and Best Director for Lanthimos (winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for Olivia Colman).

He then directed the 16mm black and white silent short Bleat (2022) starring Emma Stone and Damien Bonnard. Bleat was co-commissioned by the Greek National Opera and Athens-based cultural foundation NEON. The story, set on the Greek Cycladic island of Tinos, revolves around a woman in black who is mourning inside a simple house. The film has been described as experimental and surrealist in style and focuses on themes of loneliness, connection, death, and desire as well as human and animal interaction. The film has only been shown twice, first being at the Stavros Niarchos Hall in Athens in 2022, and the second at Alice Tully Hall at the New York Film Festival in 2023. Lanthimos designed Bleat to be screened only in theaters with a live orchestra and chorus.

In 2023, he directed and produced the coming of age dark comedy Poor Things, which is based on the 1992 novel of the same name. The film marked the third collaboration between Lanthimos and Stone, and also featured performances from Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Ramy Youssef. The film premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival where it won the Golden Lion. Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal described the film as "Sumptuous, dazzling and glorious". The film earned eleven nominations at the 96th Academy Awards, winning four (including the Academy Award for Best Actress for Emma Stone) as well as seven nominations at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, where it won Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Lanthimos published a book of behind the scenes photographs in his first photography monograph 'Dear God, the Parthenon is still broken' (Void, 2024).

For the anthology film Kinds of Kindness (2024), Lanthimos reunited with many actors he previously worked with such as Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, and Joe Alwyn and new collaborators Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, and Hunter Schafer. Originally titled AND, the film is centered around three separate stories, with the actors playing a different character in each. It premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 2024, and was released on 21 June 2024 by Searchlight Pictures. In January 2024, it was announced he would direct an English-language remake of the 2003 Korean science fiction comedy Save the Green Planet! with Ari Aster as co-producer; in May, it was announced that Stone and Plemons had been cast in the project, now titled Bugonia. The film premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. Also in 2025, he directed the music video "Beth's Farm" for Jerskin Fendrix also starring Stone which was released on 29 July 2025.

Lanthimos and Stone are both signatories of the Film Workers for Palestine boycott pledge that was published in September 2025.

Upcoming projects

In 2020, it was reported that Lanthimos was in talks to direct adaptations of The Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western, with New Regency and Vertigo Entertainment joined as co-producers, following the announcement of a Pop. 1280 project in 2019. In 2024 it was reported that Lanthimos was working on an adaptation of My Year of Rest and Relaxation together with author Ottessa Moshfegh. In February 2025, it was reported that Lanthimos would write and direct an adaptation of Jean-Patrick Manchette's thriller Fatale with James Schamus producing. In January 2026, it was reported that Lanthimos and Stone were collaborating for a Superbowl ad for Squarespace.

Style and themes

Lanthimos has been widely described as one of the most talented and innovative auteurs of his generation. He 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.

Lanthimos's films often feature uniquely framed cinematography, deadpan acting, and characters with stilted speech. Lanthimos’s films are known for mixing absurdist dark 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 as rape and incest. 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.

Activism

In 2023, Lanthimos along with Costa-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,”

At the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in August 2025, Lanthimos wore a Palestinian flag pin during the press conference and the premiere of his film Bugonia.

In January 2026, Lanthimos was among 800 Hollywood professionals who signed a statement condemning the Iranian regime for its atrocities during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, where civilians were protesting against repression.

Personal life

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

Works

Feature films

Short films

Theatre

Music videos

Recurring collaborators

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Yorgos Lanthimos

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.

Notes

References

References

1. "ΥΠΕΣ – ΔΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΗ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΟΝΙΚΗΣ ΔΙΑΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΗΣ Father's name:ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ Mother's name: ΕΙΡΗΝΗ".
2. Brooks, Xan. (11 November 2012). "Why is Greece's finest young director making London his home?". The Guardian.
3. Kermode, Mark. (31 December 2023). "'My films are all problematic children': director Yorgos Lanthimos on Poor Things, shame and his creative soulmate Emma Stone". The Guardian.
4. "BBC Radio 4 - This Cultural Life - Yorgos Lanthimos: Nine things we learned from his This Cultural Life interview".
5. McGray, Michael. (26 March 2024). "Yorgos Lanthimos: Director of the Weird and Wonderful World of Poor Things".
6. [[British Film Institute. (7 February 2024). "Yorgos Lanthimos in Conversation {{!}} BFI".
7. Palmer, Elle. (13 August 2024). "Yorgos Lanthimos picks out "the greatest actor of his generation"".
8. "Interview: Yorgos Lanthimos, director of 'The Lobster'".
9. Stacey G. Julien. (7 February 2019). "Yorgos Lanthimos – WTF with Marc Maron podcast".
10. "Ο Γιώργος Λάνθιμος διαπρέπει στο Φεστιβάλ της Βενετίας".
11. (23 January 2019). "Yorgos Lanthimos: From the Greek first division to the Oscars".
12. Sakaridis, Yannis. "10 Greek Filmmakers to Watch". [[Raindance Film Festival]].
13. (1998). "Kati Apo Mena album booklet images".
14. "21os Akatallilos album booklet images".
15. "DOGTOOTH – Press Kit". [[Cannes Film Festival]].
16. "My Best Friend (2001)".
17. (26 August 2001). "My Best Friend".
18. Pavlaki, Despina. (25 October 2009). "Film: Dogtooth". [[Athens News]].
19. (April 2020). "Movie Review: Yorgos L. gets his start with the cryptic and obscure "Kinetta"".
20. (16 October 2019). "'Kinetta': Film Review".
21. "Music for Theatre/Dance".
22. "THEATRE – NATURA MORTA IN UN FOSSO".
23. Hernandez, Eugene. (23 May 2009). ""Dogtooth" Wins Top Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize". [[IndieWire]].
24. "Nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards". [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].
25. "Dogtooth movie review".
26. (14 October 2010). "Dogtooth – film review".
27. "La Biennale di Venezia – Official Awards of the 69th Venice Film Festival".
28. Scott, A. O.. (12 July 2012). "Beyond Word Games, Puzzles About Reality". The New York Times.
29. (December 2023). "Yorgos Lanthimos' Next Is The Lobster!".
30. "2015 Official Selection". [[Cannes Film Festival]].
31. Henry Barnes. (24 May 2015). "Cannes 2015: Jacques Audiard's Dheepan wins the Palme d'Or". [[The Guardian]].
32. Rebecca Ford. (24 May 2015). "Cannes: 'Dheepan' Wins the Palme d'Or". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
33. "'The Lobster': EW review".
34. Wilson, Scott. (8 July 2016). "Watch Radiohead's cinematic ''A Moon Shaped Pool'' vignettes in one place".
35. (5 November 2017). "The Killing of a Sacred Deer review – uneasy about a boy".
36. "'Poor Things' Wins Best Film at 2023 Venice Film Festival: See the Full Winners List".
37. (21 November 2018). "'The Favourite' Review: Scheming for Power in a Kinky Palace Triangle".
38. (24 February 2019). "Oscar Winners 2019: The Complete List". [[Variety (magazine).
39. (19 May 2022). "Footage from Yorgos Lanthimos's "Bleat"".
40. (22 March 2022). "Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos Reunite for Black-and-White Short 'Bleat' — Watch Trailer".
41. "Bleat (2022)".
42. "Bleat".
43. (6 May 2022). "Lanthimos's latest is a grim tale of loss, loneliness and death".
44. (6 May 2022). "Lanthimos, Stone team up one more time for short, silent 'Bleat'".
45. "Bleat".
46. (5 October 2023). "Emma Stone Talks Sex, Death and Goats at NYFF Surprise Appearance for Yorgos Lanthimos' Short Film 'Bleat'".
47. (1 September 2023). "Yorgos Lanthimos' 'Poor Things' Starring Emma Stone Gets Huge 10-Minute-Plus Ovation At Venice Film Festival Premiere".
48. (6 July 2023). "Biennale Cinema 2023 {{!}} Poor Things".
49. Smith, Kyle. "'Poor Things' Review: Emma Stone's Opulent Victorian Odyssey". WSJ.
50. (8 January 2024). "Golden Globes: 'Poor Things' Wins Best Musical or Comedy Film".
51. (22 May 2024). "'We pushed each other': Yorgos Lanthimos's alternate view of Poor Things – in pictures".
52. Vlessing, Etan. (27 October 2022). "Joe Alwyn Joins Emma Stone in Yorgos Lanthimos' 'And' (Exclusive)".
53. (27 March 2024). "'Kinds of Kindness' Teaser: Emma Stone Reunites with Yorgos Lanthimos Post-Second Oscar Win".
54. (12 January 2024). "Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos on Poor Things and creative disagreements".
55. (18 May 2024). "Focus Features Takes Worldwide Rights To Yorgos Lanthimos' Next Movie 'Bugonia' With Emma Stone & Jesse Plemons – Cannes".
56. Ntim, Zac. (22 July 2025). "Venice: Kathryn Bigelow, Guillermo del Toro, Noah Baumbach & Benny Safdie In Competition – Full Lineup".
57. "Jerskin Fendrix".
58. Betts, Anna. (10 September 2025). "Actors and directors pledge not to work with Israeli film groups 'implicated in genocide'". The Guardian.
59. Kit, Borys. (19 May 2020). "'The Great' Creator Tony McNamara Reteaming With Yorgos Lanthimos for Gothic Western 'Hawkline Monster' (Exclusive)".
60. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (22 February 2019). "Yorgos Lanthimos To Write, Direct 'Pop. 1280' For Imperative Entertainment & Element Pictures".
61. Pearce, Leonard. (7 February 2025). "Exclusive: Yorgos Lanthimos Plans Assassin Thriller Fatale". The Film Stage.
62. Lassner, Erin. (27 January 2026). "Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos Continue Their Cinematic Partnership With Bold Super Bowl Ad (Exclusive)".
63. Katsaris, Violetta. (30 April 2022). "How Yorgos Lanthimos Defines the Greek Weird Wave".
64. (27 May 2023). "The evolution of Yorgos Lanthimos in five films".
65. (11 January 2024). ""The power of freedom is scary to people at times": Yorgos Lanthimos on Poor Things".
66. Ebiri, Bilge. (21 June 2024). "Sicko Yorgos Is Back".
67. Kokkinidis, Tasos. (6 April 2023). "Yorgos Lanthimos, Costa-Gavras Join Campaign to Save Historic Cinemas in Athens - GreekReporter.com". GreekReporter.com.
68. (9 September 2025). "Yorgos Lanthimos Makes Bold Statement at Venice with Palestinian Flag Pin". [[Egypt Today]].
69. (21 January 2026). "800 Film Professionals Sign Statement Condemning Iran’s Government for Killings".
70. (24 December 2014). "Ariane Labed, la révélation de Fidelio, l'Odyssée d'Alice". [[L'Express]].
71. (24 December 2014). "Portrait d'une jeune actrice : Ariane Labed, héroine de Fidelio, l'odyssée d'Alice". [[AlloCiné]].
72. "Tank Magazine".
73. (9 December 2018). "Yorgos Lanthimos, director of The Lobster, on his wild, star-studded life of Queen Anne".
74. "Ariane Labed: 'It's a fight if you want to shoot on film.'".
75. link. [[Athens-Macedonian News Agency]]. (1 February 2011)
76. Kravari, Vana. (19 March 2024). "Ο Λάνθιμος σκηνοθέτησε το clip του “Τώρα Μου Μιλάει” και το μαθαίνουμε τώρα;".