Loss of Difference and Victim Crisis in Valdimar Jóhannsson’s Lamb (2021)

Abstract

This article analyzes Lamb (2021), directed and written by Valdimar Jóhannsson, thro- ugh the lens of René Girard’s notions from the book of Violence and the Sacred. Set on a remote Icelandic farm, the film follows Maria and Ingvar, a couple who adopt a lamb, and delves into themes such as nature, human relationships, gender roles, and loss. Embracing the folk horror genre, the film presents a darkly pastoral aesthetic. Girard’s theories highlight the film’s exploration of the relationship between violence and the sacred; Lamb, named Ada, represents both innocence and a scapegoat, as well as an object of desire. Ada’s symbolic role as a supernatural force is further emphasized by the appearance of Pan. This article examines Lamb within Girard’s theoretical framework, while also considering its folk horror elements and aspects amenable to Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic interpretation.