The Ugly Stepsister

The story of Cinderella has been passed down across the world for centuries, first through oral lore, then via various literary versions and film adaptations. What all these variants have in common is sympathy for the hard-working, ash-soiled orphan and disdain for her pompous stepmother and entitled stepsisters – until now!

Hot on the heels of fellow beauty-body horror comedy The Substance, Norwegian director Emilie Kristine Blichfeldt’s debut feature takes a closer look at what would drive someone to cut off their own toes just to fit into a glass slipper that was never theirs to begin with.

When Elvira and her sister move in with their mother’s new husband and his gorgeous daughter, the awkward young girl is scolded for smiling and urged to hide her braces. Unlike her peers, Elvira lacks natural beauty or grace, so when the Prince’s invitation to a ball lands in her lap, her mother marshals every available resource to make the ugly duckling a worthy competitor for his affection.

The opening credits alone speak volumes about Blichfeldt’s approach and serve as a warning to those with weak stomachs. The camera slowly pans across a festive banquet, yet despite the lavish spread, the food looks anything but appetizing. Occasional pieces of fruit are speckled with mould and strands of spaghetti mirror the maggots crawling along the table. Completing the picture is the rotting corpse of the dead patriarch, tying this family together and propelling their misery.

The feature’s cinematography has an analogue quality that effortlessly weaves The Ugly Stepsister (Den stygge stesøsteren) into the visual canon of classic fairytales. When the focus shifts to anatomy, body parts are captured in extreme close-up – a choice made at least in part for practical reasons, concealing the use of body doubles. Yet this fragmentation and detachment also aid the horror of the narrative. Certain aspects of the plot feel anachronistic, a detail playfully acknowledged, but in truth, the history of cosmetic surgery stretches back further than most viewers might initially realise. This to and fro is also reflected in the score, which pairs dreamy harp melodies with modern pop and dance elements.

Lead actress Lea Mathilde Skar-Myren delivers a formidable performance, transforming the overlooked character in a way that upends audiences’ perception of this age-old tale. Gruesome, gag-inducing and ecstatically thrilling, The Ugly Stepsister joins the ranks of recent female-driven genre cinema as a worthy addition.

Selina Sondermann

The Ugly Stepsister (Den stygge stesøsteren) does not have a release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival coverage here.

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