← Back to results
Lamb
Dýrið
2021 106 min Iceland, Poland, Sweden R 18+
★6.8
Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Director: Valdimar Jóhannsson
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Teaser
EN
EN
Description
An Icelandic couple live with their herd of sheep on a beautiful but remote farm. When they discover a mysterious newborn on their land, they decide to keep it and raise it as their own. This unexpected development and the prospects of a new family brings them much joy before ultimately destroying them.
Budget:
$5M
US Gross:
$2.68M
Worldwide:
$3.2M
Starring
Noomi Rapace
Actor
Hilmir Snær Guðnason
Actor
Björn Hlynur Haraldsson
Actor
Awards
European Film Awards 2021
— Best Visual Effects
Cannes Film Festival 2021
— Un Certain Regard – Originality Prize
European Film Awards 2021
— Discovery of the Year
Cannes Film Festival 2021
— Un Certain Regard – Originality Prize
Key opinion
Lamb is widely praised as a visually striking and atmospheric arthouse fable that utilizes the stark Icelandic landscape to explore themes of grief, parenthood, and the hubris of human nature. While many critics admire its meditative originality and symbolic depth, some viewers find the slow, near-silent pacing and ambiguous narrative frustrating or empty.
| Cinematography | The film features stunning cinematography that captures the vast, brooding beauty of the Icelandic landscape to build a hypnotic, folk-horror atmosphere. | |
| Acting | The central performances are strong and restrained, effectively conveying the internal grief and isolation of the shepherd couple. | |
| Pacing | The film employs a deliberate, meditative, and near-silent pacing that rewards patient viewers but leaves others feeling disconnected or bored. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative's minimalist approach to dialogue and plot creates an open-ended experience, leading to disagreements over whether the film is a profound metaphorical poem or an underdeveloped story hiding behind atmospheric shots. |