Rams

[projekktor id=’23054′]

Rams is an Icelandic drama written and directed by Grímur Hákonarson (Summerland). The film premiered at Cannes where it won first place in the Un Certain Regard section. It stars Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theódór Júlíusson.

In a secluded valley in Iceland, Gummi and Kiddi live side by side, tending to their sheep. Although they share the land and a way of life, Gummi and Kiddi have not spoken to each other in four decades. When a lethal disease suddenly infects Kiddi’s sheep, the entire valley comes under threat. The authorities decide to cull all the animals in the area to contain the outbreak. This is a near death sentence for the farmers, whose sheep are their main source of income, and many abandon their land. But Gummi and Kiddi don’t give up so easily – and each brother tries to stave off the disaster in his own fashion: Kiddi by using his rifle and Gummi by using his wits.

Talking about his inspiration for the film Hákonarson says “My film is based in large part on my own experiences with rural people and rural culture in Iceland. Both of my parents were raised in the countryside and I was sent there to live and work most summers until I reached the age of 17. Because of this background, I think I have a certain sense for the stories, characters, and visual language of these rural parts of Iceland. I’ve always been attracted to stories from the countryside and ​Rams isn’t the first film I’ve shot in this environment.”