Why Yorgos Lanthimos uses human pretzels to direct his award-winning films

Art · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before becoming an Academy Award-nominated director, Yorgos Lanthimos spent years filming commercials and music videos in Greece. This background provided the technical confidence to experiment with absurd scenarios and surreal aesthetics. Today, he is known for his unique rehearsal techniques, such as having actors untangle themselves from human knots while reciting dialogue.

Born in Athens in 1973, Lanthimos did not initially pursue cinema. He studied business administration before enrolling in the Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos at age 19. His early career was defined by technical work in advertising, which he credits with providing the financial freedom and expertise to pursue his own creative projects. He later gained notoriety as a central figure in the so-called Greek Weird Wave, a label he has dismissed as a lazy, limiting way to categorize a diverse group of filmmakers.

His directorial style is marked by psychological tension and surrealism, often developed alongside his long-term writing partner, Efthymis Filippou. Their collaboration began with the 2009 psychological thriller Dogtooth, which earned international recognition at the Cannes Film Festival. This success paved the way for his transition into English-language features like The Lobster, a dystopian satire where single people must find partners or face transformation into animals. His work frequently draws from classical tragedy and avant-garde influences, including the playwright Sarah Kane and choreographer Pina Bausch.

Lanthimos is known for unconventional production methods that prioritize creative comfort and spontaneity. During the production of The Favourite, he employed physical exercises, such as the human pretzel, to help his cast build rapport. These choices extend to the visual language of his films, where he often juxtaposes anachronistic dialogue with striking, deliberate set designs. Whether exploring the power dynamics of 18th-century royalty or the bizarre rituals of modern society, his films consistently challenge audience expectations through a blend of deadpan humor and penetrating psychological insight.

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