How Kinds of Kindness' architecture becomes a significant and silent protagonist

“Kinds of Kindness” premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in the spring and is due for release in the UK at the end of this week. Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film, written by Poor Things Academy Award® nominee and Efthimis Filippou, is a trilogy wrapped in a single work – a film tackling control, absurdity and power dynamics in three parts, played by the same eight main actors, cast in different roles for each section. Architecture, a silent protagonist, is another constant in the film, setting the scene as only the built environment can and helping to tell the story of Lanthimos.

“Kinds of Kindness” explores themes often encountered in the world of Lanthimos. Tragic irony, a sense of the surreal and a pinch of magical blend in a trio of stories that are only loosely interconnected by subject matter and location – offering different visions of the Greek director’s fascinations. Its star-studded, compact but expertly named cast includes Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie and Hunter Schafer; the power of architecture in cinema becomes their co-star.

Exploring architecture in “Kinds of Kindness”

Described as a “triptych fable,” the film first follows a man, controlled by another, trying to regain control of his own life; then, a policeman whose missing woman – presumed dead – returns miraculously, but apparently transformed in a disturbing and strange way; and finally, a woman who, as part of a spiritual cult, is obsessed with finding a miracle worker. In each of these tales, architecture is essential, says Anthony Gasparro, “Kinds of Kindness” production designer, who oversaw how the presence of the built environment, clearly carefully curated and stylized, but ultimately soft and understated, appears everywhere (all set in an abstract, nameless southern state). of America told through glimpses of New Orleans – but we’ll get to that later).

Gasparro says: “Creating three distinct stories significantly increased the number of settings and locations. The only recurring setting is the hospital, providing a loose connection between the stories. We filmed Raymond’s office in an abandoned floor of 650 Poydras in downtown NOLA, complete with large windows and sweeping views of other nondescript buildings. The exterior of Liz’s medical office was a former hospital used to house people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Most locations were chosen for their generality to avoid placing the film in a specific geographic location.

Most locations were chosen for their generality, to avoid placing the film in a specific geographic location.
Decorator, Anthony Gasparro

Still from the film “Kindness” showing buildings and architecture

(Image credit: still from the film “Kindness”)

Each section of the film has its own subtly distinct vibe. The architectural fabric supports and frames the conflicts of the heroine of the last tale which are expressed through images which alternate between a certain richness and the indefinable or the banal; the middle one invites us into a more banal setting and a seemingly everyday family context (even if this is quickly denied); and the opening section discusses power and domination through a harsh and highly staged architectural context.

“In the first story, the spaces where Raymond lives and works are at the heart of the story. His office, located on the top floor of an impressive commercial building, is modern and sterile, reflecting his clinical and detached personality. Conversely, his mansion highlights his wealth, tastes and power. The living room, designed around an enormous Biedermeier sofa, almost serves as a throne where he holds court,” explains Gasparro.

Still image from the film

(Image credit: Clip from the film “Kinds of Kindness”)

“Richard’s office, in contrast, features extremely triangular walls with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, creating an extremely disorienting space reminiscent of Irving Penn photography. This setting suggests that Richard feels trapped and part of something larger and more perilous than himself, as if he is perched perilously atop Raymond’s glass nest. Other locations in the film were designed as extensions of Raymond’s influence, notably in Rita’s house, which resembles a model home, lacking personal touches or signs of habitation.

Still from the film “Kindness” showing buildings and architecture

(Image credit: from the film “Kinds of Kindness”)

In the second film, the plot begins by taking the audience into a more “everyday”, more domestic setting. The protagonists, Dan and Liz, have middle-class jobs and live in a comfortable cottage. However, as the plot thickens and Liz’s seemingly unnatural return fuels the narrative, the house’s dark wooden siding adds to the tension and sense of claustrophobia that emerges. “Cinematographer Robby Ryan used our bamboo shades to create thick shadows and stunning filtered light, perfectly capturing the increasing strangeness of their situation,” says Gasparro.

Cinematographer Robby Ryan used our bamboo blinds to create thick shadows and stunning filtered light, perfectly capturing the increasing strangeness of their situation.
Decorator, Anthony Gasparro

Still image from the film

(Image credit: Clip from the film “Kinds of Kindness”)

The third and final segment is perhaps most clearly set in the American South, blending grandeur and familiarity, adding to the mix the tactility and outward living qualities of the region’s vernacular architecture. Yet the sense of belonging is only evoked in the abstract, leaving questions about a specific place open.

“The final story features some of my favorite scenes and architecture. The lake house where the cult resides is a late 80s architectural marvel on Lake Pontchartrain. This location was crucial for the film, as we needed a house large enough to accommodate all the guests, isolated from other houses and with access to the lake for their yacht. I created a story that the house was hastily abandoned in the late 90s for nefarious reasons and then renovated by Omi and Aka to suit their needs,” adds Gasparro.

Still image from the film

(Image credit: Clip from the film “Kinds of Kindness”)

“The motel in the story has strange but familiar architecture. We researched around 20 options, but this one stood out for its eerie, ephemeral feeling, fitting perfectly with the scenes taking place there. The home of Emma, Joe, and their daughter is an unremarkable house located in a nondescript neighborhood, depicting the strange and absurd events occurring in Yorgo’s world.

Still from the film “Kindness” showing buildings and architecture

(Image credit: Clip from the film “Kinds of Kindness”)

Although filmed in New Orleans, the film avoids obvious landmarks that might explain this; although if you know the town, you’ll know that “Kinds of Kindness” takes place there. And while challenges arise in every production – from budgetary issues to last-minute changes and the availability of specific locations, the production designer reports – the result appears to be a cohesive, uncompromising vision of its author. Gasparro concludes: “The film ultimately came to fruition, creating another vibrant version of Yorgo’s universe.”

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