Noomi Rapace Boards Supernatural Drama ‘Lamb,’ Sold by New Europe (EXCLUSIVE)

Noomi Rapace has boarded Valdimar Jóhannsson’s supernatural drama “Lamb,” which New Europe Film Sales is selling at Berlin’s European Film Market.

The pic marks Rapace’s return to Scandinavian moviemaking following Hollywood movies like Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus,” with Michael Fassbender, and David Ayer’s “Bright,” alongside Will Smith and Joel Edgerton.

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“Lamb” is the story of a childless couple, María (Rapace) and Ingvar, who are sheep farmers in Iceland. On Christmas Eve they find a newborn who is half human, half sheep. Longing for a child of their own they decide to keep the lamb-child and raise it as their own regardless of the consequences.

Rapace said: “A script like this is rare and I directly felt that I had to do it. I’ve never done anything like this before and I can’t wait to start filming and go back to my roots in Iceland.”

“Lamb,” which is set for a mid-2019 shoot and is expected to be completed in 2020, is produced by Hr?nn Kristinsdóttir and Sara Nassim at Go to Sheep. The co-producers are Piodor Gustafsson and Erik Rydell at Black Spark, and Klaudia ?mieja-Rostworowska at Madants/NEM Corp.

It was written by Johannsson and Icelandic author Sjón, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his lyrics in Lars von Trier’s “Dancer in the Dark.” The vfx supervisor is Peter Hjorth (“Melancholia,” “Antichrist”) and the production designer is Snorri Hilmarsson (“Woman at War”).

Rapace and Johannsson are repped by Indio Management, Kurt Selling and Stella H?rnstr?m.

Hr?nn and Sara commented: “We‘re excited to see this visual poem that Sjón and Valdimar have created come to life. Having Noomi on board, who speaks Icelandic and truly understands the story, the culture and María’s character, is incredibly valuable for the film.”

Jan Naszewski, CEO of New Europe, said “Lamb” was a “bold, auteur-driven [film] that stays with you.”

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