Principal photography has begun on “Dogtooth” director Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Lobster.” Shooting will take place over seven weeks on location in Ireland. John C. Reilly, Ashley Jensen, Michael Smiley and Jessica Barden have joined the top-drawer cast, which already includes Rachel Weisz, Colin Farrell, Ben Whishaw, Lea Seydoux and Olivia Colman.
Here’s the intriguingly far-out synopsis:
A love story set in the near future where single people, according to the rules of The City, are arrested and transferred to The Hotel. There they are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days. If they fail, they are transformed into an animal of their choosing and released into The Woods. A desperate man escapes from The Hotel to The Woods where The Loners live and falls in love, although it is against their rules.
“The Lobster” is Greek director Lanthimos’ English-language debut. His disturbing dark comedy, “Dogtooth,” about a profoundly dysfunctional family, was up for the 2011 Best Foreign Language Oscar (you can watch it free on SnagFilms). His followup, “Alps,” also an offbeat love story of sorts, remains a cult favorite.
Lanthimos co-penned “The Lobster” script with his longtime collaborator Efthimis Filippou. Film4 is among the financiers, with Protagonist Pictures handling world sales.
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