Yorgos Lanthimos, the acclaimed film director behind cinematic masterpieces like The Favourite and Poor Things, has produced his second photography book – I Shall Sing These Songs Beautifully.
Published by Mack and released in late 2024, this linen-bound hardback coffee table photography book offers a haunting visual experience shaped by Lanthimos’ distinct, suspenseful aesthetic – one that has long captivated audiences in his films.
The book comprises a series of photographs taken in New Orleans during the production of Lanthimos’ recent film, Kinds of Kindness, which features an impressive cast that includes Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Plemons and Hunter Schafer.
Yet, the images in I Shall Sing These Songs Beautifully are not just behind-the-scenes glimpses of a film set. Instead, Lanthimos crafts a separate narrative through these photographs, one that exists in the liminal space between reality and fiction.
This isn’t Lanthimos’ first foray into photography books, as early in 2024 he released his debut monograph Dear God, the Parthenon is Still Broken – an exquisite collection of images made on the set of Poor Things.
That book, created in collaboration with actress Emma Stone, marked the beginning of a new creative venture for Lanthimos, blending his filmmaking process with intimate, dreamlike photography. It’s a collaboration and approach he has continued with I Shall Sing These Songs Beautifully.
All the images were shot in 2022, in and around New Orleans. There’s an undeniable noir influence running through the work, reminiscent of Raymond Chandler’s fiction and the photography of Henry Wessel.
The juxtaposition of New Orleans’ lively streets with a sense of eeriness creates a mood that’s both familiar and strange and creates a sense of foreboding not often associated with the area. This feeling has become a hallmark of his cinematic style which translates effortlessly from screen to print.
There’s something extremely suggestive about the way Lanthimos navigates the eerie and mundane in his imagery, as his photographs – much like his films – find themselves on the edge of absurdity and melancholy.
In I Shall Sing These Songs Beautifully, this tension is as present as ever. The streets of New Orleans are enveloped in both light and shadow, transforming into a stage for a narrative that feels both timeless and contemporary.
Although not specified in the press material, on his previous project Lanthimos revealed his preference for shooting with an 8x10 film camera. This choice adds to the stillness and tension present in each image.
There’s a degree of intention to the compositions that carefully strikes a balance between location, character and observer. After all, that is how it feels to be shown the window into Lanthimos’ world – observing a reality that feels just out of reach.
Many of the characters in the book are often shot from behind or captured in fleeting glimpses, providing a level of intrigue and mystery. These images demand a second and often third look, and after each viewing new layers of meaning and emotion emerge.
The title of the book is taken from a text by Sappho, whose fragmented poetry mirrors the book’s narrative structure, leaving space for interpretation and reflection.
What makes I Shall Sing These Songs Beautifully so compelling, however, is its ability to stand on its own, independent of the film it was created alongside.
While the photographs were initially part of Lanthimos’ process in shaping the world of Kinds of Kindness, the book transforms them into a unique visual narrative that exists beyond the frames of the film. It is not a companion piece but a story in its own right.
Lanthimos is a storyteller, first and foremost; his photographs, like his films, invite us to ponder and reflect. There’s a sense of liminality in how the images unfold and a narrative path that’s never fully revealed but lingers in the mind, demanding more attention. His ability to translate this style into still images is unlike anything I’ve seen recently in the photography space.
Priced at £35 in the UK and $40 in the US, I Shall Sing These Songs Beautifully by Yorgos Lanthimos is published by Mack and is available now. It’s a book that demands to be experienced slowly, each image revealing layers of meaning and emotion leaving you with more questions than answers.
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Check out my article on Lanthimos' previous book Dear God, the Parthenon is still Broken along with our guide to the best coffee table books.
