8 Best Movies Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

With The Favourite, Lanthimos broke through to a mainstream audience. This costume drama is set at the English court, where two women fight for the favor of the ailing Queen Anne. Olivia Colman won an Oscar for her role, and Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz shine as well. Visually lavish, sharply written, and often hilarious, this is Lanthimos at his most accessible.

A modern Frankenstein variation in which Emma Stone plays Bella, a woman brought back to life. She explores the world with childlike curiosity and openness. The film is grotesque, funny, feminist, and often downright strange. It won the Golden Lion in Venice and multiple Oscars, confirming Lanthimos as one of today's most innovative directors.

The film that gave Lanthimos his true international breakthrough. In a dystopian society, singles have 45 days to find a partner, or they're turned into an animal. Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz play the leads. The premise sounds absurd, but the mix of dark humor and heartbreak made this a cult success and winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes.

One of Lanthimos' most unsettling films. Colin Farrell plays a surgeon confronted by a sinister teenage boy (Barry Keoghan) who terrorizes his family. The cold dialogue, uncomfortable silences, and slow build make for an intensely oppressive viewing experience. Brilliant for some, unbearable for others.

The film that put Lanthimos on the international map. Dogtooth tells the story of a family whose children are raised in complete isolation, with bizarre rules and violent consequences. The result is shocking but also brilliant in its radical approach. The film won the Prix Un Certain Regard at Cannes and is considered a modern classic of the Greek "weird wave."

In this strange drama, a group of people offer to reenact deceased loved ones to help families grieve. The premise is bizarre and uncomfortable, but also intriguing. Not as powerful as Dogtooth or The Lobster, but quintessentially Lanthimos: cold, unusual, and emotionally disorienting.

His first feature, shot on a small budget in a bleak seaside town. The story follows three people obsessively reenacting police interrogations. It's slow and difficult to access, but already shows his fascination with power, control, and absurdity. An interesting starting point for the die-hard fan.

His most recent film is a triptych starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Willem Dafoe. Each segment tells a different story about power, desire, and dependency. The film received mixed reactions: some praise its radical approach, others find it too long and too cold.