"The ugly stepsister" is an adaptation of the Grimm brothers' version of Cinderella where the step-sisters – unlike in the Disney version – cut off their toes to fit into the shoe.
Rent dramaturgically, the film is faithful to the classic story, but in Blichfeldt's version, it is one of the step-sisters, Elvira, who is in the center.
It was just the shift in perspective that made me make the film. I sympathize with the step-sister, and I recognize myself in the incredibly strong desire to fit into the ideal, she says.
To become beautiful, and be able to marry the prince, Elvira uses several methods – one more violent than the other. The viewers are met with noses that are smashed to pieces and eyelashes that are sewn into the eyelids – and the camera never backs down.
Swedish actors
It's brutal scenes that can make even the most hardened horror viewer turn their stomach, but they serve a purpose, Blichfeldt means.
It's about a character who is willing to do almost anything for beauty. She goes through several bodily experiences, which are conveyed through the images.
Among the actors are several Swedes, including Isac Calmroth, known from the lead role in the TV series "Ondskan". And Malte Gårdinger, who played in the Netflix hit "Young royals". Both were attracted by the script, which felt like something new.
It's a twisted script, but there's still a clear vision. Every scene is carefully thought out and serves a purpose, nothing is done "just for the sake of it", says Malte Gårdinger.
"Unsympathetic"
He is in agreement with Calmroth, who plays Prince Julian, who in Blichfeldt's film is not the classic dream prince.
This is the first time I play such an unsympathetic character, which is very fun.
He describes a film that has "extra everything", in a good way.
It's a playful film. The audience is allowed to be scared and disgusted, but also to have fun. At the same time, they feel very much with the step-sister, and when they've seen it, they want to be kind to their body.
Just that feeling is what Emilie Blichfeldt hoped to achieve with the film.
I made it for a 16-year-old Emilie. It's very easy to feel alone with thoughts about your body, but we are many who feel these feelings. I hope the film can give comfort, and courage to rebel against the ideals.
"The ugly stepsister" has a Swedish movie premiere on June 13.
Emilie Blichfeldt, born 1991, is a Norwegian film director and screenwriter educated at Nordland Art and Film School (NKFS), where she graduated in 2013 with the graduation film "How do you like my hair".
She continued her studies at The Norwegian Film School, which she graduated from in 2018 with the film "Saras intimate confessions".
"The ugly stepsister" is her feature film debut, which has been shown at both the American Sundance Festival and the Berlin Film Festival.
In addition to Isac Calmroth and Malte Gårdinger, Swedish Adam Lundgren and Ralph Carlsson also appear. Norwegian Lea Myren plays the lead role as the step-sister Elvira.
