Natalie Erika James on Saccharine: Body Horror Meets Diet Culture in Ozempic Era

Natalie Erika James's third feature, Saccharine, premiered at Sundance and opens in Australian cinemas on 9 July. The Melbourne-shot body horror film follows medical student Hana (Midori Francis) who takes an experimental weight-loss drug that requires consuming human ashes, with ghostly consequences. James began writing the film in 2019, before the widespread adoption of GLP-1 drugs, but acknowledges its timeliness amid the Ozempic era. The film explores body dysmorphia, diet culture, and shame, using Buddhist folklore's hungry ghost metaphor. James links Saccharine to her earlier works Relic (2020) and Apartment 7A (2024), all examining societal expectations on women's bodies. Key collaborators include cinematographer Charlie Sarroff, sound designer Robert Mackenzie, editor Sean Lahiff, production designer Josephine Wagstaff, and composer Hannah Peel. James describes filmmaking as a way to transmute personal pain into meaningful art, hoping audiences see themselves in Hana's experience.