Launched in 2009, the film Dog introduced Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos with a bold, unsettling vision. His early work stirred controversy by layering taboo topics and shocking imagery, while later films like Langosta envisioned a future where love must be sourced through an odd, almost contractual search for compatibility. The Sacrifice of the Sacred Deer, released in 2017, pushed audiences toward discomfort with a father confronting violent consequences for his choices. Across these works, Lanthimos challenged viewers by presenting behavior that unsettles as a default reaction rather than a mere backdrop.
Strikingly, Lanthimos has grown into a director whose films routinely collect major honors without sacrificing the intensity of his method. The most recent film Poor Creatures has claimed the Golden Lion at Venice and earned recognition from other prestigious festivals, including Golden Globes nods and Oscar nominations in multiple categories. The scope of his awards underscores a growing consensus that his distinctive approach resonates with contemporary audiences and critics alike.
Poor Creatures stands as perhaps the sharpest, most radical and transgressive entry in Lanthimos’s career. It offers a feminist reinterpretation of the Frankenstein myth wrapped in a black comedy filled with provocative humor and sharp social commentary. The retro futuristic aesthetic and memorable visuals, such as a roaming figure with a duck headed dog, leave a lasting impression on viewers.
You decided to direct this film about twelve years ago. Why did it take so long to realize the project?
Because for a long period no producer backed the project, viewing it as unusually strange. Those same producers later expressed renewed interest after noticing how the film called Canino had found an audience precisely because it was unconventional. Once The Favourite achieved substantial success, there was greater freedom to pursue Poor Creatures as the next project.
“Making movies gives me a lot of anxiety; every time I finish a movie I promise myself it will be the last.”
When asked whether Poor Creatures would resemble the current version if it existed twelve years earlier, the filmmaker notes that the impact would likely be smaller. In recent years society has become more open to stories about a woman who embraces her sexuality and autonomy without worrying about others judgments. This openness has helped the central argument about men struggling to accept women as they are gain traction.
His work consistently questions rigid social rules. The films illuminate how characters strive to liberate themselves while navigating pressure to conform. Poor Creatures is seen as his most hopeful work, showing a protagonist who keeps moving forward despite pain and risk in the pursuit of knowledge and freedom.
“All the sex scenes in the film are necessary; if it were more modest, it would betray the hero.”
The film includes explicit scenes that have sparked discussion. The director argues that contemporary mainstream cinema often shies away from sex, a trend he finds perplexing alongside the tolerance for graphic violence. He contends that the sexual elements serve a fundamental purpose and that trimming them would undermine the central character and themes.
Beyond Poor Creatures and The Favourite, the collaboration with Emma Stone extends to the short film Vlihi and the forthcoming feature Kind of Kindness. The collaboration is described as synergistic, with the actress serving as a reflective mirror that helps shape performances and refine direction.
Starting from Greece, the filmmaker notes that Hollywood ambition was never a primary goal. The early days featured a tiny, resilient independent practice, where financing was scarce and resources were limited. The challenge became a catalyst, prompting the idea of making films with available means, which later grew into a more expansive career while keeping creative independence intact.
Why depart from home initially? The response highlights the practical constraints of early production life, including funding and access. London offered an appealing base when it was part of the European Union, but shifts like Brexit and the pandemic changed the landscape. Today, Athens has become a focal point again, suggesting a cyclical relationship with the filmmaker’s roots.
As his work expands, so does the willingness to delegate and trust collaborators. The director emphasizes the value of partnering with people he admires, which helps keep the production process more sustainable and enjoyable. This shift from control to trust marks a significant evolution in how he approaches cinema.
Regarding the pressure of making films, he notes that the process remains intensely anxiety inducing. After finishing a project, the reflex to declare it as the final effort persists, yet the same urge to begin a new project inevitably reappears. A balanced dose of skepticism about one’s own work appears to be a healthy counterweight to creative drive.