Interview:
Natalie Erika James,
writer/director,
"Saccharine"
In writer/director Natalie Erika James’ hybrid horror film Saccharine, Midori Francis’ medical student Hana duplicates an illegal weight loss pill so she can rapidly drop the pounds without reducing her food intake. But the strange and unusual active ingredient—human ashes—causes an unexpected side effect: the summoning of a supernatural entity that controls Hana’s hunger and appetite. With Saccharine, James employs both body horror and the supernatural to explore body image and dysmorphia, eating disorders, and society’s growing reliance on weight loss medication. Saccharine also stars Danielle Macdonald as Hana’s concerned friend Josie and Madeleine Madden as Hana’s fitness instructor and love interest Alany. Saccharine opened May 22 in theaters. Australian filmmaker Natalie Erika James previously directed the SXSW 2020 selection Relic and the 2024 Rosemary’s Baby prequel Apartment 72.
Aired: May 27, 2026. Web site: https://www.independentfilmco.com/films/saccharine |
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