Emilie Blichfeldts debutt feature The Ugly Stepsister is invited to the Panorama program at the 2025 Berlinale.
"Having your debut film shown in the prestigious Panorama program is a significant recognition of Emilie Blichfeldt as a filmmaker and demonstrates that this is a film that stands out exceptionally. Especially considering that The Ugly Stepsister is also set to open the Midnight program at the Sundance Film Festival. With important festival screenings in both the U.S. and Europe, the film now has a strong foundation for reaching a wide international audience," says Kjersti Mo, CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute.
"The Ugly Stepsister is meant to entertain, provoke, and inspire, and we hope it will spark conversations about the themes it addresses. I’m curious to see how the Berlin audience, familiar with the Brothers Grimm's version of Cinderella, will receive the film," says director Emilie Blichfeldt.
"It was in the Brothers Grimm's version of the fairy tale that I first encountered the stepsister. She cuts off her toes! I recognized the unbearable longing to fit into the beauty ideal and the willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve it," Blichfeldt explains.
"I’m so proud of screenwriter and director Emilie and the start this film has had. The Ugly Stepsister is definitely going out into the world, and Berlin, along with Sundance, marks the beginning of its international journey. We will give the stepsister the redemption she deserves," says producer Maria Ekerhovd.
The Berlinale Panorama program is known for being an audience favorite, showcasing extraordinary films. According to Berlinale, Panorama is explicitly queer, explicitly feminist, explicitly political—and aims to think beyond these categories, always seeking what is new, daring, unorthodox, and wild in contemporary cinema. Here, you can discover the latest works from renowned filmmakers. Since 1999, the Berlinale's largest jury—the Panorama audience—has awarded the Panorama Audience Award to the most popular feature film or documentary. The Panorama section also oversees the Teddy Award, Berlinale’s queer film prize, which spans all festival sections.
The Berlinale will take place from February 13–23, 2025.
Being an ugly stepsister isn’t easy. Elvira dreams of the dazzling heartthrob, Prince Julian. When he invites guests to a ball to find his bride, Elvira is willing to do whatever it takes to win his heart. She must conform to the kingdom’s ruthless beauty standards, get the enchanting Cinderella out of the way, and, most importantly, fit the shoe!
The Ugly Stepsister is a surprising and gritty twist on the Cinderella tale, where the stepsister takes center stage. The film draws inspiration from the Brothers Grimm’s classic fairy tale, in which the stepsister cuts off her toes to fit into the shoe.
The screenplay and direction are by Emilie Blichfeldt. In her debut film, Lea Myren stars as Elvira, with Thea Sofie Loch Næss playing Cinderella, Ane Dahl Torp as the stepmother, and Flo Fagerli as little sister Alma.
The film is produced by Maria Ekerhovd at Mer Film, which has also produced titles such as Let the River Flow, The Innocents, and War Sailor. Ekerhovd is also currently in post-production on upcoming films by Joachim Trier and Itonje Søimer Guttormsen.
The Ugly Stepsister received NOK 17.8 million in production support from the Norwegian Film Institute. The film is co-produced by Lizette Jonjic for Zentropa Sweden (Another Round), Mariusz Wlodarski for Polish Lava Film (The Girl With the Needle), and Theis Nørgaard for Danish Motor (The Dead Don’t Hurt).
The film will premiere in Norwegian cinemas on March 7, 2025 and will be distributed in Norway by Ymer/Scanbox. Memento International is handling international sales.
Manager International Relations, Feature Films
