Saccharine is a 2026 Australian supernatural horror film now showing at Luna Leederville. I left Luna Leederville still thinking about the many complex themes and how it was so cleverly woven together. How? Why? What was the message? Because it definitely had one!
The plot follows Hana (Midori Francis), a self-loathing medical student with obvious body dysmorphia, with suppressed romantic feelings for her gym instructor. Burdened by her father’s obesity and her mother’s constant body shaming, she succumbs to an obscure weight-loss craze which she later discovers involves the eating of human ashes. Unable to afford this medication herself, she uses her lab experience to create her own. The series of haunting events reveals that Hana bit off more than she could chew!
Writer and Director, Natalie Erika James, did an amazing job creating a mood that would hook you in. My favourite, was her use of music to create a deep unsettling atmosphere. It built intensity with the very noticeable use of synth textures and dissonance. It was consistent throughout the film and highlighted the silences which were used perfectly to create the uneasy feeling of inner turmoil and confusion Hana was feeling.
Cinematography and camera angles used reflection, soft lighting and very deliberate editing to build suspense as it builds tension very slowly. The focus was clearly not to resort to jump scares but to dive deeply into the characters mind and emotions.
The atmosphere would flip and turn making this one just as much of a psychological horror, as a supernatural horror. It was both creepy and well paced so you could breathe and get to know the storyline and the characters quite well. It was desperate and hopeful, making the characters relatable at first but then, doubtful and questioning.
The sheer artistry, originality and execution was superb. It wasn’t over-the-top gory but it is definitely not for the faint hearted.
Leave your expectations at the door because Saccharine is not the contemporary horror you would expect. It is refreshingly unique in this wave of horrors tapping into social anxiety and pressures related to cosmetic medical treatments gone wrong.
Saccharine opens 9th July at Luna Palace Cinemas.