# The Favourite

> 2018 film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

**Wikidata**: [Q22001133](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22001133)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Favourite_(2018_film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-favourite

## Summary
The Favourite is a 2018 period black comedy film directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, renowned for his surreal and psychologically charged narratives. The film explores the intricate power dynamics within the court of Queen Anne, starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz. It garnered widespread critical acclaim, earning 10 Academy Award nominations and winning several prestigious awards, including the BAFTA for Best British Film.

## Key Facts
- **Director**: Yorgos Lanthimos (Greek, born 1973), known for *Dogtooth* and *The Lobster*.  
- **Release Year**: 2018.  
- **Genre**: Period black comedy, satire.  
- **Premiere**: August 30, 2018, at the Venice Film Festival.  
- **Release Dates**:  
  - November 23, 2018 (United States)  
  - January 1, 2019 (United Kingdom)  
  - January 24, 2019 (Ireland)  
- **Countries of Origin**: United Kingdom, Ireland, United States.  
- **Production Companies**: Film4, Scarlet Films.  
- **Cast**:  
  - Olivia Colman (Queen Anne) — won Academy Award for Best Actress.  
  - Emma Stone (Abigail Hill) — nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.  
  - Rachel Weisz (Sarah Churchill) — nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.  
- **Awards and Nominations**:  
  - 10 Academy Award nominations (2019).  
  - BAFTA Award for Best British Film (2019).  
  - European Film Award for Best Actress (Olivia Colman, 2019).  
  - Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Olivia Colman, 2019).  
- **Ratings**:  
  - 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.  
  - 91/100 on Metacritic.  
- **Themes**: Power struggles, royal court intrigue, mortality, and ambition.  
- **Style**: Deadpan dialogue, absurd humor, and lavish 18th-century aesthetics.  

## FAQs
### Who directed *The Favourite*?  
Yorgos Lanthimos directed the film, marking his first period drama and further establishing his reputation for blending dark comedy with psychological tension.  

### What awards did *The Favourite* win?  
The film won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film, the European Film Award for Best Actress (Olivia Colman), and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. It was also nominated for 10 Academy Awards.  

### Who stars in *The Favourite*?  
The film features Olivia Colman as Queen Anne, Emma Stone as Abigail Hill, and Rachel Weisz as Sarah Churchill, all of whom received critical acclaim and major award nominations for their performances.  

### What is *The Favourite* about?  
The film depicts the rivalry between Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, and Abigail Hill, a servant who rises through the ranks of Queen Anne’s court, exploring themes of power, manipulation, and loyalty.  

### Where was *The Favourite* filmed?  
Primary filming locations included Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, England, and other historic estates in the UK and Ireland.  

## Why It Matters  
*The Favourite* revitalized the period drama genre with its subversive humor, moral ambiguity, and focus on female-driven narratives. Its success underscored the commercial viability of arthouse cinema, grossing over $236 million worldwide. The film’s influence extends to its impact on popular culture, reigniting interest in 18th-century history and inspiring debates about the portrayal of women in positions of power. Olivia Colman’s Oscar-winning performance and Yorgos Lanthimos’s unconventional direction cemented the film’s status as a landmark in contemporary cinema.  

## Notable For  
- Earning 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.  
- Olivia Colman’s career-defining performance, which earned her an Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe.  
- Yorgos Lanthimos’s first foray into period drama, blending his signature surrealism with historical subject matter.  
- Its use of anachronistic dialogue and unconventional score to disrupt traditional period film conventions.  
- Grossing over $236 million worldwide, demonstrating the global appeal of art-house cinema.  

## Body  
### Production and Development  
*The Favourite* was produced by Film4 and Scarlet Films, with a budget of $15.5 million. Filming took place in the UK and Ireland from February to May 2017. The screenplay, written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, drew inspiration from historical accounts of Queen Anne’s reign, though it took creative liberties to emphasize drama and satire.  

### Release and Reception  
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2018, and received a limited U.S. release on November 23, 2018, before expanding internationally. Critics praised its performances, cinematography, and Lanthimos’s direction, with many highlighting its fresh take on period storytelling. It holds a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 8.5/10.  

### Themes and Style  
Lanthimos employed his signature deadpan dialogue and absurd humor to explore themes of power, mortality, and ambition. The film’s use of fisheye lenses and symmetrical framing created a claustrophobic atmosphere, reflecting the suffocating nature of court life. The score, composed by Johnny Greenwood, incorporated baroque and electronic elements to heighten tension.  

### Cast and Crew  
- **Olivia Colman** (Queen Anne): Her portrayal of the ailing monarch earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, BAFTA, and Golden Globe.  
- **Yorgos Lanthimos**: The film marked his first collaboration with a predominantly British cast and crew, blending his avant-garde style with mainstream appeal.  
- **Rachel Weisz** and **Emma Stone**: Both received Academy Award nominations for their supporting roles, with Stone also serving as an executive producer.  

### Awards and Legacy  
*The Favourite* was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Olivia Colman’s victory in the Best Actress category was widely celebrated, solidifying her status as a leading actress in Hollywood. The film’s success paved the way for Lanthimos’s subsequent projects, such as *Poor Things* (2023), and reinforced the viability of unconventional narratives in mainstream cinema.  

### Cultural Impact  
The film’s portrayal of Queen Anne’s court sparked renewed interest in 18th-century history, with historians praising its attention to detail while critiquing its creative liberties. Its influence can be seen in later period dramas, such as *The Great* (2020–2023), which adopted similar tones and narrative styles. *The Favourite* also contributed to the resurgence of “prestige dramas” in Hollywood, encouraging studios to invest in complex, female-led stories.  

### Technical Specifications  
- **Runtime**: 113 minutes.  
- **Aspect Ratio**: 1.85:1.  
- **Cinematography**: Robbie Ryan (nominated for an Academy Award).  
- **IMDb ID**: tt5083738.  
- **Official Website**: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thefavourite/.  

### Related Entities  
- **Yorgos Lanthimos**: The film bolstered his reputation as a master of dark comedy, following earlier works like *The Lobster* (2015).  
- **Olivia Colman**: Her performance in *The Favourite* remains one of her most celebrated roles, alongside her work in *The Crown* and *Fleabag*.  
- **Fox Searchlight Pictures**: Distributed the film, contributing to its global reach and awards campaign.  

### Historical Context  
Set during the War of the Spanish Succession (1702–1714), the film fictionalizes the rivalry between Sarah Churchill and Abigail Hill, though it omits key historical figures like Anne’s husband, Prince George. The script’s focus on female agency and queer subtext resonated with modern audiences, offering a revisionist perspective on a often-overlooked monarch.

## References

1. europeanfilmawards.eu
2. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/Winners-2019.899.0.html)
3. [Source](http://www.labiennale.org/en/news/official-awards-75th-venice-film-festival)
4. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2019)
5. Letterboxd
6. IMDb
7. The Movie Database
8. The Favourite. Rotten Tomatoes
9. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmawards.eu/en_EN/film/the-favourite.13109)
10. [Source](http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/198182/terjesztett_filmalkotasok_art_filmek_nyilvantartasa.xlsx)
11. PORT.hu
12. The Favourite
13. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/2019-Selections.901.0.html)
14. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/Nominations-2019.900.0.html)
15. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/2019.905.0.html)
16. BBC Things
17. [Source](https://www.spio-fsk.de/asp/fskkarte.asp?pvid=592538)
18. Google Knowledge Graph
19. [Source](https://bbfc.co.uk/releases/favourite-2018)
20. Entertainment Identifier Registry
21. [Source](http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/index.php?id=26&i=424167)
22. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
23. film distribution certificate
24. [Source](http://justica.gov.br/news/collective-nitf-content-1548260588.87)
25. ClassInd database
26. [Source](https://sede.mcu.gob.es/webicaa/Ficheros/106818/34/106818/1/209.pdf)
27. [Source](http://cnc.abt.ro/registru/index.aspx?pageID=3&filmID=16065)
28. [Source](http://www.rtc.gob.mx/NuevoSitio/cine_clasif_35mm.php?cd=467)
29. [Source](http://fpbquery.fpb.org.za/erms/film_details.aspx?ref=82132)
30. [Source](https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/GLAAD%202019%20Studio%20Responsibility%20Index.pdf)
31. [SensCritique](https://www.senscritique.com/liste/Vito_Russo_Test_Check/1603064/page-3)
32. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5083738/fullcredits/)
33. [Source](https://imdaonline.imda.gov.sg/classification/Search/Film/SearchDetail.aspx?sType=Feature&sRowID=AAAgZnAAAAAADdhAAA)
34. Danish Film Database
35. [Source](https://www.rcq.gouv.qc.ca/RCQ212AfficherFicheTech.asp?intNoFilm=409621)
36. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/The_Favourite-WYMJ9V)
37. [Source](http://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/BFD8FC47004DFE6E)
38. TheTVDB
39. Trakt.tv
40. FilmVandaag.nl