The Killing of a Sacred Deer

The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Theatrical release poster
Directed byYorgos Lanthimos
Written by
Produced by
  • Ed Guiney
  • Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring
CinematographyThimios Bakatakis
Edited byYorgos Mavropsaridis
Production
companies
Distributed byCurzon Artificial Eye
Release dates
  • 22 May 2017 (2017-05-22) (Cannes)
  • 3 November 2017 (2017-11-03) (Ireland and United Kingdom)
Running time
121 minutes
Countries
  • Ireland
  • United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$10.7 million[1]

The Killing Of A Sacred Deer is a 2017 absurdist psychological horror thriller film directed and co-produced by Yorgos Lanthimos, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Efthimis Filippou. It stars Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic, Alicia Silverstone, and Bill Camp. It follows a cardiac surgeon who introduces his family to a teenage boy with a connection to his past, after which they mysteriously begin to fall ill.

The film had its world premiere at the 70th Cannes Film Festival on 22 May 2017, where it was awarded Best Screenplay.[2] It was theatrically released in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 3 November 2017, by Curzon Artificial Eye. It grossed $10.7 million worldwide and received positive reviews from critics, who praised Lanthimos' direction, the screenplay, cinematography, and performances of the cast (particularly those of Keoghan, Farrell, and Kidman). At the 15th Irish Film & Television Awards, the film earned four nominations, with Keoghan winning Best Supporting Actor. It was nominated for Best Director, Best Screenwriter, and Best Actor (Farrell) at the 30th European Film Awards, and for Best Supporting Male (Keoghan) and Best Cinematography at the 33rd Independent Spirit Awards.

  1. ^ "The Killing of a Sacred Deer". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The Killing of a Sacred Deer Wins Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival". Screen Ireland. 29 May 2017. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2024.