IFC Films and Shudder debtued the official trailer for The Ugly Stepsister (Den stygge stesøsteren), the Norwegian fairy tale horror from writer and director Emilie Blichfeldt that takes a sinister twist on the classic Cinderella story. Starring in the movie are Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, and Flo Fagerli,

Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt making her feature directorial debut, The Ugly Stepsister made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival then screened at Berlin International Film Festival, and opens in theaters on April 18th.

A sinister twist on the classic Cinderella story, The Ugly Stepsister follows Elvira (Lea Myren) as she prepares to earn the prince’s affection at any cost. In a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will compete with the beautiful and enchanting Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) to become the belle of the ball.

A biting satire and cinematically exhilarating directorial debut, The Ugly Stepsister is a timely examination of body image and beauty standards, identifying Emilie Blichfeldt as one of the most exciting new international filmmaking voices.

Bloody Disgusting review gave the film 4 of 5 skulls, writing, “Because Elvira’s transformation is so slow and painful, building to a suitably nasty finale, the ending feels curtailed in a way. It’s also a film that focuses on the character first and is prone to pacing lulls. But the production design is stunning and immersive, creating an almost ethereal backdrop to a grim, gory body horror tale, and the characters are wonderfully nuanced and authentic. Blichfeldt crafts an impressive feature debut that manages a rare feat: offering a wholly unique version of a classic fairy tale that we’ve never seen before while returning to its violent roots. It’s elegant, stylish, and gnarly.”

Watch the official trailer for The Ugly Stepsister.