The director Yorgos Lanthimos says is “doing something different with cinema”
Among the hottest names in cinema at the moment, Yorgos Lanthimos has once again become the centre of cultural discussion with his latest feature, Poor Things. Earning multiple nominations at the Oscars while also picking up other prestigious accolades along the way, the Greek auteur has returned to the forefront of the current landscape after a considerable gap following his 2018 gem, The Favourite.
While many filmmakers have repeatedly named Lanthimos as a primary source of inspiration, The Lobster director has his own list of heroes. During a conversation with Le Cinéma Club, he named the works of pioneers such as John Cassavetes and Andrzej Żuławski while talking about his favourite cinematic masterpieces ever made.
However, one contemporary also managed to enter his list, which is none other than the Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul. While including Syndromes and a Century in his personal top five, Lanthimos said of Weerasethakul: “This man is definitely doing something different with cinema today. It is so delicate and so powerful at the same time.”
Lanthimos is definitely right in his assessment because Weerasethakul has developed a unique cinematic identity over the years, creating unforgettably magical works like Tropical Malady and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. Playing around with magical realism and other spiritual symbolism, his films tackle a wide variety of subjects ranging from sexuality to the history of his country.
While he was initially inspired by grand sci-fi works like Steven Spielberg’s movies, the Thai filmmaker broadened his horizons during his time as a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Delving deep into the history of American experimental films and exploring how the medium has constantly reinvented itself, he used his diverse range of inspirations to create a wonderfully original form of cinematic expression.
During a conversation with IndieWire, Weerasethakul explained: “I always want to relay many feelings via film. It is hard for me to communicate with people – I want to shake my friends, my partner, for example, and say, ‘Look, I am so happy,’ or I feel this and that. But I cannot get the feelings across through only words. So, I made these films to get my message delivered at a certain level. It is hard for me to make a linear narrative because I think our brain doesn’t operate like that.”
Syndromes and a Century, the 2006 drama cited by Lanthimos, is a particularly interesting project because it features a unique narrative device. The movie is divided into two nearly identical parts but with different outcomes, a creative decision informed by Weerasethakul’s desire to explore the transformative capabilities humans possess.
Watch the trailer for Syndromes and a Century below.
