The Ugly Stepsister (Norwegian: Den stygge stesøsteren), a 2025 comedy horror film directed by Emilie Blichfeldt in her feature debut. This film is a grotesque, body-horror retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale, focusing on Elvira, the “ugly” stepsister, who resorts to extreme measures to compete with her beautiful stepsister, Agnes, for the prince’s attention in a kingdom obsessed with beauty.
Co-produced by Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Denmark, it stars Lea Myren as Elvira, Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Agnes, and Ane Dahl Torp as the stepmother. With its gory visuals and feminist bite, the film’s haunting backdrops are as captivating as its story. Join us as we explore where this bloody fairy tale was filmed!
What is The Ugly Stepsister About?
The Ugly Stepsister (Den stygge stesøsteren) is a wild, gory, and darkly funny horror-comedy that flips the classic Cinderella tale on its head. In a beauty-obsessed kingdom, it’s Elvira, the “ugly” stepsister, who’s desperate to make herself prettier than her gorgeous stepsister, Agnes, and win the prince’s heart. Elvira’s drastic measures — we’re talking severed toes, tapeworms, blood buckets — turn this perverted fairy tale into a body-horror fever dream. Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt, the film combines gory visuals with biting feminist commentary on society’s preoccupation with appearances. Lea Myren is a standout as Elvira, delivering both laughs and heart to her character’s messy pursuit of love. With extravagant wardrobes, dreamlike sets and a killer cast, it’s a twisted, unforgettable little ditty that debuted at Sundance 2025 and boasts a 95% Rotten Tomato rating for its full-on style and bloody panache.
The Ugly Stepsister filming Locations
The haunting and lavish settings of The Ugly Stepsister were brought to life in two breathtaking Polish locations, each adding a unique fairy-tale vibe to the film. Here’s a closer look at these stunning sites and what the filmmakers said about them.
Gołuchów Castle, Poland
Gołuchów Castle, a 16th-century Renaissance gem in Gołuchów, Poland, serves as the film’s central location, its gothic exterior setting the stage for Elvira’s gruesome journey. The castle, with its soaring spires and intricate flourishes, provides an eerily beautiful canvas for the kingdom’s beauty-mad anarchy. “Gołuchów was perfect — it was as if the castle itself was a character, full of cool but cliché decor,” the director Emilie Blichfeldt said in an interview with Variety. Its chiaroscuro establishes a fairy-tale-y horror vibe that the swooping camera only makes more extravagant.
Trivia: This castle also appeared in the Polish historical drama The Deluge (1974), cementing its status as a cinematic treasure.
Klasztor Lubiąż (Lubiąż Monastery), Poland
The Lubiąż Monastery in Lower Silesia, one of the world’s largest Cistercian abbeys, hosted the film’s dazzling party and dance scenes where Agnes makes her grand entrance. Its Baroque interiors, with intricate frescoes and grand halls, scream fairy-tale opulence. “Lubiąż felt like stepping into a twisted royal ball—its grandeur made those scenes pop,” said actress Lea Myren in a festival Q&A. The abbey’s rich history as a monastic center and wartime site adds depth to its cinematic allure.
Trivia: The Polish fantasy series Legend of the White Horse (1987) used the monastery, tying it to Poland’s film legacy.
When Did the Filming of The Ugly Stepsister Take Place?
Filming for The Ugly Stepsister took place in late 2023 and early 2024. Principal photography wrapped in Poland and Norway before the film’s post-production began, leading to its Sundance premiere in January 2025.
The Ugly Stepsister Cast Details
- Lea Myren as Elvira, the desperate “ugly” stepsister.
- Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Agnes, the beautiful stepsister.
- Ane Dahl Torp as the scheming stepmother.
- Flo Fagerli as Alma, a supporting role in the twisted tale.
The Ugly Stepsister Behind The Scenes
Creating The Ugly Stepsister was a wild ride, blending practical gore with lush visuals to craft its twisted fairy-tale world. Filming at Poland’s Gołuchów Castle and Lubiąż Monastery presented challenges, such as navigating historic sites while setting up gruesome effects, including Elvira’s toe-chopping scene. “We had to balance the blood with the beauty, and those locations gave us both,” director Emilie Blichfeldt shared at Sundance 2025.
The crew leaned heavily on VFX (supervised by Peter Hjort) and makeup (by Thomas Foldberg) to deliver stomach-churning body horror, with tapeworms and oozing wounds stealing the show. Actress Lea Myren described the set as “a mix of giggles and gasps—we’d be laughing one minute, then screaming at the fake blood!” Co-producer Mer Film coordinated across Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Denmark, making it a true international effort. Despite tight schedules, the team’s passion for feminist storytelling shone through, earning raves at Sundance and Berlin.
The Ugly Stepsister Official Trailer
Check out the bloody, hilarious trailer for The Ugly Stepsister, packed with fairy-tale gore and wicked humor. Watch it now!
Exploring The Ugly Stepsister filming locations reveals the magic behind this gory, feminist fairy tale. From Gołuchów Castle’s gothic charm to Lubiąż Monastery’s lavish halls, these Polish gems made the film a visual feast. Visit NetFilming for more cinematic adventures!
