The Favourite – Yorgos Lanthimos retrospectief

In the exact same year that Cinecitta reopened its doors, Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos was working on his first English-language film, The Lobster. What no one could have imagined at the time was that the unconventional Lanthimos would later become one of the greatest directors of today. To celebrate the director’s oeuvre, six of his films will be shown at Cinecitta throughout the entire month of August. From his early work (when his films were still described as part of The Greek Weird Wave Cinema) to his latest film, Kinds of Kindness (which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival).

England, early eighteenth century. At the center is the relationship between Queen Anne and her confidante, advisor, and lover Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough. Their lives are forever changed with the arrival of Sarah’s younger cousin Abigail. Soon, dynamics between the women shift as they vie for influence over the queen and the palace.

Everything in this film is spot on. From the razor-sharp dialogues to the unusual camera angles and the extravagantly directed scenes by Greek master Lanthimos. Lanthimos stretches the traditional boundaries of costume drama in this film, creating a new genre. The film was nominated for a staggering ten Oscars.