About the Film
This is the most recent collaboration between filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and his favorite writer, Efthymis Filippou, following their controversial masterpieces The Lobster (2015) and The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017). This year, the rebellious duo returns with a more intense piece, raising their usual questions about the issues of identity and alienation, the psychology behind relationships, and the permanence of things. With their well-known untamed imaginations, they present, through Nimic, a world both confusingly surrealistic, and extremely, shockingly realistic—capable of touching every human being, no matter where they belong in this world.
The protagonist is a professional cello player, who lives a stable life and enjoys a calm routine. The stability, however, does not last, for the shock that Lanthimos presents here is that no major event has to occur to throw peace out the window. Through Nimic, he confirms that a life-altering encounter can—in and of itself—be simple and insignificant, revealing the fragility of the things we take for granted. The film offers little dialogue in return for a plethora of intricate details; with the use of accessories and decorations, choice of shooting locations, and the selection of actors, in addition to Matt Dillon’s exceptional performance.
Since his very first venture, Yorgos Lanthimos has been able to develop his own creative approach, which helped him create a unique signature among the world's leading filmmakers. He continues to present his subjects with deep and stylistic angles that combine poetry with all its beauty, and realism with all its pains. Nimic, his concentrated capsule, stands as a great testament to this, for it serves as a gateway to his creative world for those who have not yet had the chance to fall in love with the magical realms of Lanthimos.
Mohamed Atef
