Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos wins prestigious prize at Venice Film Festival

Greece’s leading film director Yorgos Lanthimos has won another international award, this time for his film “ The Favourite” at the 75th Venice Film Festival, which came away with the Silver Lion Grand Jury prize and the Coppa Volpi Best Actress Award went to Olivia Colman, one of the main actresses in Lanthimos’ film.

In a press conference about his film, Lanthimos said it focused on three women who were “ complete human beings” whereas the male view in cinema tends to see women as wives, girlfriends, and objects of passion. “We made multi-dimensional, beautiful, nightmarish women. Complex, as any human being,” he said.

Colman, who played alongside Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, thanked her fellow leads and Lanthimos for giving her the role. “ I loved every second of it,” she said and, switching to Italian, expressed her love for Venice and thanked the city for embracing the film.

During an award ceremony on Saturday, the Golden Lion award for Best Film was given to the Mexican production “ Roma” directed by Alfonso Cuarn and the Silver Lion Award for Best Director when to Jacques Audiard for the film “ The Sisters Brothers”.