Yorgos Lanthimos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yorgos Lanthimos
Γιώργος Λάνθιμος
Lanthimos in October 2023
Born	Georgios Lanthimos (1973-09-23) 23 September 1973 (age 51) Athens, Greece
Occupation	Filmmaker
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Ariane Labed ​ (m. 2013)​
Awards	Full list

Yorgos Lanthimos (born September 23, 1973) is a famous filmmaker from Greece. He is known for making unique and often unusual movies. He has won many important awards, like a BAFTA Award. He has also been nominated for five Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.

Lanthimos began his career working in experimental theater. He became well-known for directing the movie Dogtooth (2009). This film won a special prize at the Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Later, Lanthimos started making movies in English. These include the dark comedy The Lobster (2015) and the thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017).

He has worked with actress Emma Stone on several films. These include the historical dark comedies The Favourite (2018) and Poor Things (2023). They also worked together on the movie Kinds of Kindness (2024). Lanthimos was nominated for Best Director and Best Picture for both The Favourite and Poor Things. He also won the top prize, the Golden Lion, at the 80th Venice International Film Festival for Poor Things.

Early Life and Education

Yorgos Lanthimos was born in Athens, Greece, on September 23, 1973. His mother, Eirini, owned a shop. His father, Antonis Lanthimos, was a basketball player. His father played for a team called Pagrati BC and for the Greek national basketball team. Yorgos was mostly raised by his mother.

After finishing school, he first studied business. He also played basketball like his father. But an injury stopped his basketball career. After that, he decided to study film and television directing in Athens.

Filmmaking Career

Early Work: 1995–2008

In the 1990s, Lanthimos directed videos for dance and theater groups in Greece. Since 1995, he has directed TV commercials, short films, and music videos. He was also part of the team that planned the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

His second movie was an experimental film called Kinetta. It was shown for the first time at the Toronto Film Festival in 2005. Some critics found it a bit slow, but others praised its unique style.

Becoming Well-Known: 2009–2017

Lanthimos in September 2015

His third movie, Dogtooth, was a Greek drama. It won a special award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Famous critic Roger Ebert admired Lanthimos's skill with visuals and actors. In 2010, Lanthimos acted in and helped produce Attenberg, another Greek film.

His fourth movie, Alps (2011), won an award for Best Screenplay at the 68th Venice International Film Festival. A critic from The New York Times said the film made viewers question what is normal.

Lanthimos's fifth film was the dark comedy The Lobster (2015). It starred Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, and John C. Reilly. The movie won a prize at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. A critic from Entertainment Weekly noted that Lanthimos's films are unique and sometimes feel like they come from another planet.

In 2017, Lanthimos directed the thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer. This film starred Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Barry Keoghan. It was shown at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Critics compared its intense style to other famous thrillers.

Working with Emma Stone: 2018–Present

Since 2018, Lanthimos has worked with Emma Stone on many projects, including Poor Things, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress

In 2018, he directed The Favourite, a historical dark comedy. It starred Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz. The movie tells a dramatic and funny story about Queen Anne in 18th-century England. It won a major award at the 75th Venice International Film Festival. The New York Times praised the film's beautiful visuals and unique style. The Favourite received ten nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Lanthimos. Olivia Colman won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role.

He then directed a short, silent film called Bleat (2022). It starred Emma Stone. The film is set on a Greek island and explores themes like loneliness and connection. Bleat is designed to be shown only in theaters with live music.

In 2023, he directed and produced Poor Things. This dark comedy is based on a 1992 book. It was his third time working with Emma Stone. The film also featured Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Ramy Youssef. Poor Things won the top prize, the Golden Lion, at the 80th Venice International Film Festival. It received eleven nominations at the 96th Academy Awards, winning four, including Academy Award for Best Actress for Emma Stone. It also won two Golden Globe Awards. During the filming of Poor Things, Yorgos took many behind-the-scenes photos. These photos were later published in a book.

For the movie Kinds of Kindness (2024), Lanthimos worked again with many actors. These included Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and Margaret Qualley. The film tells three different stories, with the actors playing new characters in each. It was shown at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May 2024.

Upcoming Projects

Lanthimos has several new projects planned. He is working on a movie called Bugonia. This film is expected to be released in November 2025. Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are set to star in it.

Filmmaking Style

Yorgos Lanthimos is known for a unique style of filmmaking called the Greek Weird Wave. His early Greek films, like Kinetta, Dogtooth, and Alps, show this style. His later English films, such as The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, also explore similar ideas.

His movies often feature characters who speak in a formal or unusual way. The actors often show little emotion. He uses unique camera angles and shots. His films often explore themes like human behavior, loneliness, and how people connect with each other.

Personal Life

Yorgos Lanthimos met actress Ariane Labed while working on the film Attenberg in 2010. They started dating and got married in 2013. They lived in London for ten years. Now, they mostly live in Athens, Greece.

Selected Filmography

Feature Films

Short Films

Theatre

Actors Yorgos Lanthimos Often Works With

Awards and Nominations

Here are some of the awards and nominations Yorgos Lanthimos's films have received:

Actors Who Won Academy Awards in Lanthimos's Films

Actors who have been nominated for or won Oscars for their roles in Yorgos Lanthimos's films: