All of us have been through relationships; there have been periods of time when we've been single. It's something that everyone experiences. It's a matter of making that observation and then start to ask questions about it: Why is it like that? And why do we feel that? And why are we organized this way? Isn't there any other way?

Yorgos Lanthimos

I think there's all these unknown things you can tap into when you just leave things open, and nothing is forbidden. Then you allow yourself to mold that thing that has been created by freedom and spontaneity and flexibility. That's why I avoid limiting performances of actors and characters.

Yorgos Lanthimos

'The Lobster,' at some point, was my most accessible film. Then I made 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer,' which turned out to be not as accessible as 'The Lobster.' It was the film I wanted to make and the story I wanted to tell.

Yorgos Lanthimos

Provocative... I used to be defensive about it, but in the end, I realised it's exactly right. It's what we're trying to do - to provoke thought and discussion and, you know, shake people up to start thinking about things in a different way. I'm interested in messing with what they think is the norm.

Yorgos Lanthimos

I work very physically. I don't like to intellectualize too much about what we're doing, or analyze it.

Yorgos Lanthimos

If you use music boldly at the front of a scene, it creates another level.

Yorgos Lanthimos

It's hard not to be political.

Yorgos Lanthimos

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.

Yorgos Lanthimos

Rebellion is not always the right thing. Following the rules is not always the right thing. You have to think for yourself and identify the things that do not work for you.

Yorgos Lanthimos

Because we're brought into the world or educated in a certain way, we're trained to accept the world in a certain way.

Yorgos Lanthimos

I think it's been obvious from the beginning that my projects are not going to be something that people already have in mind. You can't be thinking about such things when you create something.

Yorgos Lanthimos

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

Yorgos Lanthimos

I just think it's interesting to start a dialogue.

Yorgos Lanthimos

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

Yorgos Lanthimos

Of course you can't do anything completely original.

Yorgos Lanthimos

I am calm but on the outside, mostly. When I'm on a film set, the stress is so humongous that I'm dying inside - I'm extremely stressed, but I do try, and... well, I don't try. I think it's my natural reaction to not externalize things.

Yorgos Lanthimos

There's much more activity in England than in Greece. Or at least there's a lot more development, which obviously brings another set of problems.

Yorgos Lanthimos

I am not interested in representing reality. Actually, I am interested in representing reality, but that doesn't mean a naturalistic approach, which I think is kind of impossible.

Yorgos Lanthimos

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

Yorgos Lanthimos

Sometimes people say things and don't really know what they mean by what they're saying. Subconsciously, it might mean something different.

Yorgos Lanthimos

I always try and decide what I'm interested in, and I just do that.

Yorgos Lanthimos