Yorgos Lanthimos

“Anytime people see an emotion that is not extremely emotional, they call it 'deadpan.'”

“Try to place the camera somewhere where you get most of the information from there, so you don't need to have too many shots and be too explanatory and expositional about the scene.”

“If actors are trying to convey, in a smart way, the context of the scene, that becomes too self-conscious.”

“It's weird to try and identify a nationality for a film.”

“I wouldn't be making films if I just wanted to express some specific ideas; then I would be writing essays or something.”

“There are various ways of delivering some kind of truth, so I try to find the style or the way that I find more effective.”

“Having a couple of films that were successful internationally has made the film community aware of the films coming out of Greece.”

“Something that's a hilarious comedy, for someone else might be a drama.”

“I wasn't a film buff.”

“All the talented and smart actors, they get it: as soon as it comes out of their mouth, they know if it's right or wrong. If the writing has a particular voice, they get it, and they can hit it.”

“Everybody has a love/hate relationship with their own country.”

“I think you can tell a lot about people if you observe them as they're observing.”

“It was always hard to make films in Greece, but making them with friends made it possible.”

“I don't make long-term plans, for sure.”

“I think children are really violent with each other often.”

“No studio picks up the phone after seeing 'Dogtooth' and goes, like, 'We have the next superhero movie.' Though if one did, that would be an interesting studio to work with.”

“I'm just trying to progress with every film I make and become better.”

“Personal relationships, mood, chance, or anything like that can actually affect people's decisions, and when they're in a position of power, their capriciousness can affect the fate of a nation.”

“I wouldn't know what to say about something that worked in a perfect way, so I guess, in everything, I try to find what doesn't work and expose it and then see how it relates to people and their stories and their character.”

“Of course you can't do anything completely original.”