Emilie Blichfeldt’s debut feature The Ugly Stepsister has won both the Best of Bucheon Award and the Audience Award at the 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea.
The dark twist on the Cinderella story premiered earlier this year in the Midnight section at Sundance, followed by screenings at Berlinale and in Norwegian cinemas. Despite its body horror elements, the film reached a wide domestic audience and has gained cult status on the international festival circuit.
Starring Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, and Ane Dahl Torp, the film has been sold to territories across Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
“I wanted it to be a response to the polished world of Disney,” Blichfeldt told Rushprint in an interview. “I drew inspiration from Three Wishes for Cinderella and 1970s Eastern European cinema—something both realistic and uncanny.”
About The Author
