The horror film The Ugly Stepsister will be available on HBO Max from August 18, giving a wider audience access to one of the more unsettling genre entries of last year.
Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt in her feature debut, the film drew attention at international festivals before its commercial release, earning praise from both critics and audiences for its unusual blend of body horror, dark humour, and fairy tale.
The story retells Cinderella from the point of view of the stepsister, Elvira, a young woman willing to make any sacrifice to win the prince and the life she has always wanted. Set in a kingdom where beauty is the most prized possession, Elvira submits to painful treatments and extreme physical transformations to compete with her radiant stepsister, descending into obsession and a loss of her own identity.
Rather than relying on conventional scares, the film uses body horror to explore the physical and psychological consequences of chasing perfection. Gothic cinematography, symbolism-heavy production design, and a tone that shifts between satire and visceral horror round out the package.
The film has been noted as one of the most talked-about European genre releases of the recent season, establishing Blichfeldt as a director to watch.
