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Saccharine

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Australia2025112 minEnglish
Saccharine

Hana, a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorized by a hungry ghost after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes.

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Hana, a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorized by a hungry ghost after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes.

Natalie Erika James follows Relic (2020 Sundance Film Festival) with this revoltingly punchy, modern, and timely take on body horror. Through sickeningly syrupy scenes of literal and spiritual consumption, Midori Francis embodies Hana, a body-dysmorphic young woman bent on chasing her weight goal at all costs. The archetypal myth of the hungry ghost manifests literally, creating a uniquely tense atmosphere fit for a physically and metaphorically dangerous haunt.

The viscosity of James’ exploration of haunting and body horror in the era of accessible weight-loss medications is especially poignant, as Saccharine works to deconstruct weight and fatness as metrics by which we classify antagonism and personal shortcoming. What if the desperation to conform is a destructive consumption itself? What if we manifest our own bottomless specters? — CA

This film contains strobe effects.

Available in person only.

MidnightAll FeaturesBIPOC StoriesInternationalLGBTQ+ StoriesScience & TechnologyWomen-Centered StoriesFictionHorrorClosed CaptionOpen CaptionPhotosensitivityU.S. Only- less

Screenings

in persononline not available
  • Jan 22, 11:55 PM MST
    Premiere

    The Ray Theatre

    Park City

  • Jan 23, 8:10 PM MST
    Screening

    Megaplex Redstone - 2

    Park City

  • Jan 25, 8:30 PM MST
    Screening

    Broadway Centre Cinemas - 3

    Salt Lake City

    Open CaptionOpen Caption

  • Jan 27, 11:55 PM MST
    Screening

    Library Center Theatre

    Park City

  • Jan 30, 9:15 PM MST
    Screening

    The Yarrow Theatre

    Park City

    THIS FILM IS NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

Credits

  • Director(s)

    Natalie Erika James

  • Screenwriter

    Natalie Erika James

  • Producer

    Natalie Erika James

    Anna McLeish

    Sarah Shaw

  • Principal Cast

    Midori Francis

    Danielle Macdonald

    Madeleine Madden

  • Company

    Sampson PR

  • Contact

    Sara Sampson

    sara@sampsonpr.co

    (206) 412-2314

Meet the Artist

Panelist Name

Natalie Erika James

  • Instagram

Natalie Erika James is a Japanese Australian writer, director, and producer focused on dark genre stories told with heart. Her debut feature, the psychological horror Relic, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim. She co-wrote and directed Apartment 7A, a prequel to Rosemary’s Baby.

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