Norwegian director Emilie Blichfeldt upends audience expectations in a feature debut that’s hyper-aware of the origin story’s sexual and patriarchal imagery

In a bold and controversial retelling of the Cinderella story, Norwegian director Emilie Blichfeldt’s feature debut, "The Ugly Stepsister," immerses viewers in a grotesque exploration of societal obsession with beauty and the physical and psychological extremes to which women often go to attain it. The film centers on Elvira, one of Cinderella's stepsisters, portrayed by Lea Myren, illustrating a frightful world of bodily mutilation and transformation driven by a mother's unrelenting desire for her daughter to marry well. The film details Elvira’s harrowing journey, which includes undergoing extreme beauty procedures, from nose breaking to swallowing a tapeworm for weight control, highlighting the ugly truths behind contemporary beauty standards. Blichfeldt’s vision takes on a narrative steeped in grotesquerie, pushing boundaries typically not explored in fairy tale adaptations. As expected, the film is overflowing with visceral imagery, including gory surgical scenes designed to elicit discomfort as much as reflection. Blichfeldt does not shy away from presenting beauty rituals in hyper-realistic, nightmarish detail, making viewers question the societal constructs of beauty at the expense of individual identity and health. Critics praise the film for its audacity, remarking that Blichfeldt’s work exposes how deeply ingrained patriarchal and aesthetic pressures continue to shape women's aspirations and relationships. With references to the darker origins of the Cinderella tale — where the stepsisters endure physical harm — Blichfeldt’s narrative offers a macabre yet poignant commentary on the lengths women might go to conform to societal expectations, making this retelling both disturbing and necessary. "The Ugly Stepsister" poses thought-provoking questions regarding the implications of beauty culture while shedding light on the darker, often ignored sides of the quest for desirability. This film is less about self-empowerment and more a deep dive into a shared cultural madness that exists in the backdrop of fairy tales — a reflection on our insatiable appetite for beauty, with all the baggage that entails. Blichfeldt’s debut shines a critical light on how fairy tales can reinforce damaging ideals, and urges us to reconsider the narratives we propagate. Overall, while audiences may find the film’s aesthetic and themes challenging, it offers a cinematic experience that provokes discussion about the values and implications of beauty in modern society and the deeply rooted issues of self-worth across genders, making it a pivotal piece of contemporary art cinema.