Exactly what is going on in 'Lamb'? The director and star unpack the wild Icelandic fable

In northern Iceland, a couple struggles to move on from a devastating loss. While the birth of a mysterious creature on their remote farm seems to afford them a second chance at parenting, dark forces threaten to reclaim the source of their newfound joy.

That's the premise behind A24's "Lamb," director Valdimar Johannsson's feature debut from a script he co-wrote with the Icelandic poet Sjon, which stars Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snaer Guonason.

Now playing in limited theatrical release, the film snagged the prize of originality at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Its story, which blends regional Icelandic folklore with Johannsson's own peculiar imaginings, was partially inspired by the director's childhood spent with his grandparents on their sheep farm. "I'm very fascinated with sheep and lambs," he said. "We decided from the beginning that it should be about sheep farmers. We also had the creatures in mind when me and Sjon started working together in 2009."

It took eight years