Spotlight On: Greek Auteur Yorgos Lanthimos
At Kino Film Collection, we celebrate filmmakers who challenge cinematic conventions and reshape storytelling. Few have done so like Yorgos Lanthimos. From his early works Kinetta, Dogtooth, and Alps to his internationally acclaimed features The Lobster and The Favourite, Lanthimos has built one of the most distinctive and unsettling bodies of work in modern cinema. With his most recent feature Bugonia now in theaters, we wanted to take a look back at Lanthimos' early works to see how they helped shape the auteur we know today.
Dogtooth (2009)
Dogtooth marked Lanthimos’ global breakout. It traps viewers inside a warped world where a family keeps their three adult children completely isolated from society, inventing their own version of reality. The film gives a chilling, claustrophobic exploration of conditioning and control, early evidence of Lanthimos’ ability to create visceral feelings within the viewer. It is not only a story of manipulation but also a portrait of a society that conditions through fear and misinformation.
Alps (2011)
With Alps, Lanthimos questions grief and selfhood. The feature follows a group of people who impersonate the recently deceased for bereaved families, delving into individuality and empathy in disquieting ways. The surreal premise shows us a devastating reflection on how we perform our emotions, both for others and ourselves. Alps explores the lengths people will go to in search of authentic connection.
Kinetta (2005)
His earlier film, Kinetta (2005), offers a blueprint for his style; deadpan humor and the eerie side of human behavior. The film follows a group of strangers- a police officer, a hotel maid, and a photographer- who reenact crime scenes, blurring reality in haunting ways. Sparse dialogue and hypnotic shots create a dreamlike world that examines obsession and ritual.
Across his filmography, Lanthimos builds worlds that are unsettling but deeply human. His characters yearn for love, identity, and freedom. It’s this tension between absurdity and empathy that makes his films so haunting, and so unforgettable.
Lanthimos’s later collaborations, with screenwriter Tony McNamara and actress Emma Stone, have expanded his range. Works like The Favourite and Poor Things reveal a filmmaker still interrogating power and desire, now with added warmth and humor.
Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber recently reflected on Lanthimos’ early career in his essay “A Curator’s Mission Is Discovering the Classics of Tomorrow.” Lorber highlights Dogtooth as a defining discovery of modern cinema and a reminder of how bold, challenging art can endure. His reflections trace how films like Lanthimos’ continue to shape the evolving legacy of international filmmaking.
Through his evolving career, Lanthimos continues to dismantle cinematic expectations, asking what happens when logic dissolves and social norms unravel. His films offer a mirror to our own performative lives.
Experience the early vision of Yorgos Lanthimos. Stream Dogtooth, Alps, and Kinetta now on Kino Film Collection.