8legs: Sundance film festival midnight screening

#1 out of 1

‘Saccharine’ Review: A Grisly Body-Image Body Horror for the Age of Weight Loss Meds

A grisly body horror thriller centers on Hana, a medical student battling weight‑loss anxiety and harmful dreams.
The film juxtaposes visceral scares with a cautionary look at a culture obsessed with body image and rapid weight loss.
Hana’s confrontation with the cadaver’s spirit fuels the horror, aided by striking visual motifs and sound design.
The film features a strong central performance from Midori Francis as Hana and a vulnerable turn from Showko Showfukutei as Hana’s mother.
Director Natalie Erika James is praised for her genre styling and homegrown Australian production strengths.
The film is described as a timely cautionary tale about a body-conscious culture rather than a conventional scarefest.
The score by Hannah Peel and sound design by Robert Mackenzie contribute to the anti-ASMR atmosphere.
Saccharine marks a homecoming for James, who began with Relic and returns with a more independent aesthetic.
The film is set and shot in Melbourne with a modest budget, aiming for independent appeal.

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