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Saccharine” Premieres at Sundance as IFC and Shudder Line Up 2026 Release

Early reviews highlight striking imagery alongside concerns about pacing.

Overview

  • Writer-director Natalie Erika James frames the body-horror drama as a study of diet culture and disordered eating drawn from personal experience.
  • Midori Francis stars as Hana, a medical student whose pursuit of rapid weight loss involves ash-based pills that bring on a haunting tied to their source.
  • IFC and Shudder acquired the film ahead of its world premiere, with a theatrical-first rollout planned in 2026 before streaming on Shudder.
  • Critics praise the film’s unsettling visuals and thematic ambition while frequently calling it overlong and overstuffed with ideas.
  • Reviewers note the story’s resonance with current weight-loss trends, positioning the film for continued festival play, including Berlin, before release.