The Preámbulo program, run by the Costa Rican Film and Audiovisual Center of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, will present the Body Horror series, a showcase dedicated to recent contemporary films directed by women that explore the genre from a critical perspective.

The selection includes two feature films by French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat, recognized as one of the leading voices of the new body horror genre, as well as the debut film by Norwegian director Emilie Blichfeldt.

Programming

Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

The programming begins with The Ugly Stepsister (2025), by Emilie Blichfeldt, recommended for ages 18 and up. The film presents “the story of Elvira, the ‘ugly’ stepsister of a distinguished family, willing to pay any price to win the prince’s affection. In a kingdom where beauty is a ruthless business, she will compete with Agnes, her beautiful and charming stepsister, to become the queen of the ball. A brutal reinvention of Cinderella, loaded with gore, pain, and a fierce look at beauty standards.”

Friday, February 27, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

The screening continues with Revenge (2017), by Coralie Fargeat, recommended for ages 18 and up. The film tells the story of “how three wealthy men gather for their traditional annual hunt in the desert, accompanied by the young lover of one of them. After an assault, she is abandoned and left for dead, but returns transformed to exact relentless revenge, in a visceral proposal that reinterprets revenge cinema from a feminist perspective.”

Sunday, February 29, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

The week closes with The Substance (2024) by Coralie Fargeat, recommended for ages 18 and up. The film offers “an intense and uncomfortable experience that pushes body horror to the limit to reflect on the obsession with youth, identity, and the exploitation of the body in contemporary culture.”