Society’s obsession with weight and appearance has always been a bit parasitic. But director Natalie Erika James (Relic) is taking that metaphor to a terrifying, literal extreme. Independent Film Company (IFC) has just released Sacchrine in theaters, a supernatural body-horror film that turns diet culture into a haunting manifestation of grief and dysmorphia.
The Pitch: The Ultimate Ghost Diet
The narrative follows Hana (Grey’s Anatomy star Midori Francis). She is a lovelorn medical student drowning under the weight of cultural expectations and personal shame. Desperate to alter her appearance, she falls down an underground rabbit hole and participates in an obscure, deeply disturbing weight-loss craze: processing human ashes into diet pills.
Naturally, the calorie deficit comes with a massive supernatural catch. As Hana’s unhealthy compulsion takes over, she finds herself terrorized by the vengeful ghost of the exact person she’s been consuming. The trailer hints at a claustrophobic, stomach-churning descent. Watch as Hana slowly loses control of her body to the ghost’s escalating demands.
The Prescription: A Timely Slasher of Self-Worth
Written and directed by James, Saccharine serves as a pitch-black mirror to the toxic messaging surrounding body image that permeates modern society. By framing a woman’s struggle with self-worth and shame-driven compulsion through a supernatural lens, James delivers a body-horror feature that is as intellectually uncomfortable as it is visually visceral.
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If you’re ready for a psychological thriller that will make you rethink your relationship with vanity, Saccharine is currently haunting theaters nationwide. Consider it a strict warning: you are what you eat. Following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the film officially materialized in theaters on May 22.
