Australian director Natalie Erika James returns with Saccharine, a body horror film that tackles eating disorders and body dysmorphia through a grotesque yet compelling lens. The film joins a wave of acclaimed Australian horror movies, including Talk to Me, Late Night With the Devil, and James's own debut Relic. It also arrives amid a resurgence of body horror, following Coralie Fargeat's Oscar-nominated The Substance.
Plot and Premise
The story follows Hana (Midori Francis), a medical student obsessed with losing weight and her gym trainer Alanya (Madeleine Madden). After meeting an old high school friend (Annie Shapero) who has dramatically slimmed down using miracle pills, Hana tries them and experiences rapid results. She discovers the pills contain human ashes, but instead of stopping, she begins producing her own version using the corpse of a large woman donated to science, referred to as “Big Bertha.”
Visual Storytelling and Themes
James visualizes core themes with unsettling imagery, such as extreme close-ups of eating jam doughnuts played in reverse. The film riffs on the Buddhist “hungry ghost” mythology, an allegory for insatiable desire. According to James, the film explores how far Hana will go and how much horror the director is willing to show. The result is a slow infection of dread rather than a barrage, with a haunting atmosphere.
Performance and Direction
Francis delivers a restrained and nuanced performance, grounding the film’s unsubtle elements. James blends supernatural horror with corporeal dread, avoiding tired ghost-movie clichés. Even when using conventional elements, she takes a stranger path, keeping viewers engaged. One grossly impressive visual embellishment presents human insides to look like food, blending desirable and disgusting aesthetics.
Release and Resources
Saccharine is in Australian cinemas from 9 July and streams on Shudder in the US from 24 July. For eating disorder support, contact the Butterfly Foundation at 1800 33 4673 (Australia), Beat at 0808-801-0677 (UK), or the National Eating Disorders Association at 800-375-7767 (US).
