In Saccharine, the latest supernatural body horror from director Natalie Erika James, a medical student’s desperate pursuit of transformation leads her into a grotesque and terrifying spiral.
Known for her atmospheric storytelling in Relic, James returns with a more visceral and provocative vision, anchored by performances from Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald, and Madeleine Madden.
Saccharine made its world premiere in the Midnight section of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, followed by a screening at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The film opens in select theaters on May 22, 2026, followed by a Shudder streaming release in July.
Here is the synopsis: Hana (Midori Francis), a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorized by a sinister force after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes.
Filmmaker Natalie Erika James’ (Relic) third feature offers a modern and timely take on toxic messaging around weight and appearance that permeates every corner of our culture. With her latest film Saccharine, James takes an intimate look into one woman’s struggle with body image, self-worth, and shame-driven compulsion, told through a supernatural body-horror with a queer lens.
At Sundance, director Natalie Erika James emphasized the roots behind the film, saying, “This film has come from a personal place, but it’s really shaped by a culture that we all live in.” She added, “And that culture is one that often teaches us to be at war with our bodies.”
In its review, TheWrap described the film as “a gruesome, tragic film about a woman who, in an attempt to quickly lose weight, begins consuming human ashes and discovers that a ghost is slowly beginning to haunt her.” The review noted, “Saccharine is not a film that goes down easy, but you may just find yourself hungering to return for a second course to get a better sense of what James is serving up.”
Watch the official trailer for Saccharine above.
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