SUNDANCE 2025 | SACCHARINE - Natalie Erika James' Psychological Body Horror starring Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald & Madeleine Madden has World Premiere | Opening Night Jan. 22

SACCHARINE

A FILM BY

NATALIE ERIKA JAMES

(RELIC - SUNDANCE 2020, APARTMENT 7A)

STARRING  

MIDORI FRANCIS (GREY'S ANATOMY, SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS)

DANIELLE MACDONALD (PATTI CAKE$, IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU)

MADELEINE MADDEN (THE WHEEL OF TIME)

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2026  | OPENING NIGHT - MIDNIGHT | WORLD PREMIERE

Hana, 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) returns to Sundance, offering 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.

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

World Premiere Thursday, Jan. 22nd at 11:55 PM - The Ray Theatre

Public Screening #2  Friday, Jan. 23rd at 8:10 PM - Redstone 2

P&I Screening - Friday, Jan. 23rd at 3:00PM - Holiday Village 3

Public Screening #3 Sat, Jan. 25th at 8:30 PM - Broadway Centre Cinemas 3 (SLC)

Public Screening #4 - Monday, Jan. 27 at 11:55 PM - Library Theatre

Public Screening #5 - Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 9:15 PM - The Yarrow Theatre

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL PRESS DAY

Friday, January 23rd, 2026

Talent Attending

Writer/Director: Natalie Erika James

Cast: Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald, Madeleine Madden

Australia | 2026 | 113mins | English | Acquisition Title

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Natalie Erika James is a Japanese-Australian writer/director and producer focused on dark genre stories told with heart. Her debut psychological horror, RELIC, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim, going on to screen at festivals including BFI, SXSW and Sitges, where it was awarded a Special Mention for Direction. RELIC also received a nomination for Best Feature at the 2020 IFP Gotham Awards, as well as nominations for Best Film, Best Direction, and Best Screenplay at the 2020 AACTA Awards. Natalie also co-wrote and directed APARTMENT 7A, a prequel to ROSEMARY’S BABY for Paramount Pictures, starring Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest and Jim Sturgess.

Her latest feature, SACCHARINE, is a psychological body horror starring Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald and Madeleine Madden. The film was made in partnership with Carver Films, XYZ Films, Stan, Maslow Entertainment, Screen Australia and Screen Victoria.