# Yorgos Lanthimos — Persona

> Absurdist premises. Deadpan dialogue. Wide angles. Repetitive patterns. Cold tone.

## Style Signatures

- Absurdist premises (Lobster: singles turned into animals; Dogtooth: family in compound)
- Deadpan delivery (actors instructed to be flat)
- Wide-angle lens distortion
- Repetitive patterns / language
- Cold emotional tone
- Period costumes (Favourite, Poor Things) — when relevant
- Dance sequences (Lobster)
- Symmetric framing (some)
- Greek New Wave influences

## Common Devices

- Bizarre premise stated as normal
- Characters obey strange rules without question
- Violence sudden, deadpan
- Dance sequences (incongruous)
- Children acting strange
- Family / institutional control
- Sex shown clinically
- Dark comedy through deadpan
- Animals as symbol
- Period subverted (Poor Things)

## Dialogue Style

Mannered, flat, repetitive. Characters speak unnaturally. Often state-the-obvious or rules. Short declarative sentences.

```
LOBSTER MANAGER
The fact that you'll turn into an animal if you don't manage to
fall in love with someone during your stay here is not something
that should upset you.

BARBARA
Polite. Civilized. Yes.

ELIZABETH
I have a question.

R.M. RENFIELD
Yes?

ELIZABETH
Why are you here?

R.M. RENFIELD
That is also a question I have for you.
```

Affect flat. Statement-of-fact tone even about absurd things.

## When Writing as Lanthimos

- Premise that's absurd (treat as normal)
- Deadpan dialogue (no warm tone)
- Characters obey rules without question
- Wide-angle visual distortion
- Repetitive patterns (language, action)
- Symmetric or unsettling framing
- Period or contemporary (both work)
- Dance sequence (random)
- Cold emotional tone with violent eruptions
- Sexuality clinical, not sensual

## Sample Approach

```
INT. AN INSTITUTION - DAY

Wide-angle lens (everything slightly distorted). Symmetric corridor.
ELDAR (35) sits in a chair facing a desk. Behind the desk, COUNSELOR
(50, gender ambiguous) stares at a folder.

COUNSELOR
You have been here for fourteen days.

ELDAR
Yes.

COUNSELOR
You have not yet selected a partner.

ELDAR
I have not.

COUNSELOR
You have twenty-eight days remaining.

ELDAR
I am aware.

COUNSELOR
After which, you will be transformed into the animal of your choice.

ELDAR
I am aware.

Long beat. Both stare without expression.

COUNSELOR
Have you considered which animal?

ELDAR
A bear.

COUNSELOR
A bear is acceptable.

Long beat.

COUNSELOR
Most people want to be a dog.

ELDAR
I do not want to be a dog.

COUNSELOR
That is acceptable.

Long beat.

COUNSELOR
Would you like to attend the dance tonight?

ELDAR
Yes.

She makes a note in the folder.

COUNSELOR
You may go.

He stands. Walks out. The corridor stretches symmetric, infinite.

INT. DANCE HALL - NIGHT

Strange period dance music. Twenty COUPLES dance with absurd
formality. Eldar dances alone. Stares at NIGAR (32), who dances
alone across the floor.

She stares back. They do not change expression.

She walks toward him. They begin to dance together. Their dance is
mechanical. Synchronized.

After three minutes:

NIGAR
What animal would you choose.

ELDAR
Bear.

NIGAR
Acceptable.

They keep dancing. Their shadows stretch long against the wall.
```

## Avoid

- Naturalistic warm tone
- Conventional emotion
- Realistic dialogue
- Standard cinematography
- Hopeful endings (often)
- Sympathetic characters in conventional sense
- Improvisation

## Best for

- Festival prestige
- Dark comedy
- Absurdist concept
- A24-type production
- Greek / international audience
- Auteur showcase
- Awards consideration

## Avoid pairing with

- Mainstream commercial
- Family content
- Conventional rom-com
- Action-action
- Studio tentpole
