A Satirical Black Comedy Body Horror by Emilie Blichfeldt
Enter a world where fairy tales turn grotesque and beauty standards become body horror. This Norwegian black comedy reimagines Cinderella through the lens of extreme beauty culture, delivering shocking visuals and sharp satire. Prepare for a film that's equal parts hilarious and horrifying!
Emilie Blichfeldt
2025
96 minutes
Norway
Norwegian
Black Comedy Body Horror
Satirical Fairy Tale
The Ugly Stepsister (Norwegian title Den stygge stesøsteren) is a 2025 satirical black comedy body horror film directed and written by Emilie Blichfeldt in her feature debut.
The movie reimagines the classic Cinderella fairy tale from the perspective of Elvira (played by Lea Myren), a plain-looking young woman and her family who are struggling financially and desperate to win the favor of Prince Julian. In this twisted take, Elvira's mother subjects her to extreme—and grotesque—beauty procedures and transformations in hopes of making her worthy of the ball.
The film leads to gruesome, visceral scenes and sharp commentary on the obsession with beauty standards, blending fairy tale fantasy with body horror reality in a way that's both shocking and thought-provoking.
• "A bold, unsettling visual experience" - Variety
• "Genre-blending masterpiece of horror and satire" - The Guardian
• "Makes you question beauty standards while you gasp in horror" - IndieWire
• "Emilie Blichfeldt announces herself as a major new voice" - Screen Daily
The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, earning critical praise for its bold, unsettling visuals and genre-blending approach. It won awards on the festival circuit and has been noted for its striking production design and horror aesthetic.
The film's Oscar nomination for Best Makeup & Hairstyling recognizes the inventive and disturbing practical effects used to transform its characters as part of the film's intense body-horror narrative. The makeup team created grotesque beauty transformations that are both horrifying and technically brilliant.
Full Film • HD Quality • Vimeo Player
This film contains:
• Extreme body horror transformations
• Graphic beauty procedure scenes
• Dark satirical comedy about beauty standards
• Not recommended for sensitive viewers
"Sometimes the fairest of them all... comes with a price."
🏆 Oscar-Nominated Makeup & Hairstyling
👑 Twisted Fairy Tale Body Horror
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• Sundance Film Festival Premiere
• Berlin International Festival
• Festival Awards Winner
• Critical Darling
• Black Comedy Body Horror
• Satirical Fairy Tale
• Norwegian Cinema
• Emilie Blichfeldt's Debut
• Practical Effects Mastery
• Body Horror Transformations
• Beauty Satire Through Makeup
• Technical Brilliance