The Ugly Stepsister
The brief
Danish director Emilie Blichfeldt turns Cinderella inside out, crafting a gorgeously twisted fairy tale that plays like if A24 made a Brothers Grimm adaptation. Lea Myren delivers a chilling performance as Elvira, transforming from pathetic underdog to something genuinely terrifying as her desperation escalates into body horror territory. The film moves at a hypnotic pace, letting dread build through sumptuous period details and increasingly unhinged beauty rituals that will make you squirm. Perfect for fans of The Love Witch or Raw who want their horror served with feminist rage and dark fairy tale aesthetics.
The verdict
If you crave slow-burn feminist horror with gorgeous visuals and aren't squeamish about body horror, this twisted fairy tale reimagining delivers genuine chills with art house sophistication. If you need fast pacing or can't handle increasingly grotesque beauty rituals, the hypnotic crawl and squirm-inducing imagery will test your patience.
Watch with
- 👥 Horror fans who love slow-burn psychological terror
- 👫 Date night for couples who enjoy twisted narratives
- ⚠️ Skip if you're sensitive to body horror imagery
Heads up
- Body horror and disturbing beauty rituals (moderate)
- Self-mutilation and extreme body modification (frequent)
- Psychological violence and manipulation (moderate)
- Disturbing imagery involving physical transformation (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Emilie Blichfeldt
- Cast
- Lea Myren, Ane Dahl Torp, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Flo Fagerli, Isac Calmroth, Malte Gårdinger, Ralph Carlsson
Official synopsis
In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira battles to compete with her incredibly beautiful stepsister, Agnes, and she will go to any length to catch the Prince’s eye.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Colors of Evil: Black (2026)
Both explore dark feminine psychology through twisted fairy tale horror.
Total runtime: 1h 49m + 1h 50m = 3h 39m
