A person in a grey shirt and red jacket is looking upward while seated on and surrounded by full garbage bags.

Saccharine + Q&A Sydney Film Festival

  • Cinema
  • Playhouse
  • Run time: 112 minutes, plus 20 minute Q&A Subject to change
  • Seating map

Nothing is sweet in Hana’s descent

Australia | 2026 | English | Horror | Unclassified 18+

Nothing is sweet in this atmospheric Aussie body horror from Natalie Erika James (Relic) about a medical student taking sinister weight-loss pills.

When medical student, Hana (Midori Francis, Grey's Anatomy), runs into an old friend who has drastically slimmed down since high school, she becomes enticed to take the same weight loss medication. Desperate to gain the adoration of her personal trainer and crush, Alanya (Madeleine Madden, Mystery Road), Hana gets wrapped up in her insecurities and addicted to the drug – so much so, she starts making her own pills. But the main ingredient brings ghastly consequences when Hana is haunted by a horrifying and hungry ghost that grows larger while Hana’s body grows smaller. James's stylish, genre filmmaking is a timely and biting critique of online consumption and body-centric culture.

This special screening will also include a live Q&A with director Natalie Erika James .

Presented by Sydney Opera House and Sydney Film Festival

Event details

A frenzied, nightmarish climax of greed, desire and full-tilt excess that takes a sharp-toothed bite out of society’s toxic obsession with women’s bodies.

Nikki Baughan, Screen International

Real-life horror of one’s own body is the most insidious kind of body horror at play here, though James’ film offers a measure of the gorily fantastical stuff too.

Guy Lodge, Variety

Saccharine is a welcome addition to the body horror genre that gets at our overtly online doom.

Stephen A Russell, Screen Hub

Cast and credits

Hana Midori Francis
Josie Danielle Macdonald
Alanya Madeleine Madden

Director, Producer & Screenwriter Natalie Erika James
Producer Anna McLeish
Producer Sarah Shaw
Cinematographer Charlie Sarroff
Editor Sean Lahiff

Australian Distributor Maslow Entertainment

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Attending this event

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Playhouse

The Playhouse is located in the north-western corner of Sydney Opera House, best accessed through the Western Foyers.

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