[Edaily Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] Director Yorgos Lanthimos’s masterpiece, “The Lobster,” returns to theaters on the 11th.

“The Lobster” is a perfectly bizarre love story set in a world where people are turned into animals if they fail to fall in love within 45 days—a story of a man forced into love who meets his soulmate in a place where love is forbidden.

The mise-en-scène poster, released on the 5th, instantly captures the viewer’s attention with its depiction of a hotel interior featuring a high skylight and a lavish carpet. The phrase “TRANSFORMATION ROOM,” situated in the center of the elegant, old-world hotel, a woman collapsed in front of it, and the figures of “David” (Colin Farrell) and a hotel maid gazing at her indifferently all blend together to create a bizarre atmosphere.

In the film, the hotel is a place where all singles must find a partner within 45 days; if they fail, they are transformed into animals. The contrast between the elegant, old-world hotel and the surreal, cruel rules enforced within it visually embodies the peculiar black comedy unique to *The Lobster*.

The cinematography, which seems to observe the characters from a certain distance rather than getting close to their emotions, further amplifies the film’s distinctive cool and dry atmosphere.

The original visuals of *The Lobster* were brought to life through a collaboration between cinematographer Timios Vakatakis and production designer Jacqueline Abrahams. Vakatakis, who reunited with Lanthimos following *Kineta* and *Dogtooth*, emphasized a camera perspective that observes from a distance rather than getting close to the characters—a departure from his previous works.

Having used handheld camerawork in *Kineta* and a more static, formal style in *Dogtooth*, he positioned the camera farther away from the characters in *The Lobster* and utilized long-focus lenses. This created a unique sense of distance, making it seem as though the audience were observing the film’s bizarre world from a step back.

Most scenes in *The Lobster* were shot on location in Ireland using natural light. Additionally, by keeping the actors’ makeup to a minimum, the film framed its surreal premise within familiar, realistic settings.

Furthermore, renowned production designer Jacqueline Abrahams—a winner of the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) and the Royal Television Society (RTS) Award for Best Production Design—utilized the spaces and props of a vintage hotel to evoke the dual atmosphere of a world that appears serene and elegant on the surface but is governed by bizarre rules beneath.

Furthermore, sound designer Johnny Byrne—who won an Academy Award for Sound for *Zone of Interest*—joined the team, helping to complete *The Lobster*’s unique cinematic sensibility not only through cinematography and set design but also through sound.

*The Lobster* was recognized for its artistic merit, winning the Jury Prize at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival and the 42nd Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award.

“The Lobster” will have an exclusive re-release at CGV on the 11th.