Vancouver-based punk rock filmmaker Becca Kozak makes a striking cinematic debut with Sugar Rot, a film designed to be strangely surreal. It’s also unapologetically brazen—especially in its sexually explicit scenes, which coat certain body parts in an unsettling cream-like substance. Staying true to her underground roots, this auteur uses nudity, graphic violence, and dark humor to skewer societal norms. At its core, this movie is a horror comedy that thrives on the grotesque.
Like much of her previous work, this film centers on a strong female lead who defies traditional gender roles. Fans of exploitation cinema will feel right at home with the film’s blend of raw energy and distinct visual style—where narrative coherence often gives way to wild, unapologetic excess.
The story follows Candy (Chloë MacLeod), who begins to physically transform into a nightmarish smorgasbord of sugary confections after being attacked—bizarrely—by an ice cream man. The film never explains whether he’s a mutant or something else entirely, but the absurdity is deliberate. She is simply transforming. Is it the ice cream man, a nearby nuclear plant, or something leaking from a chemical waste facility? There’s no answer. The result is a film that plays like an R-rated Adult Swim fever dream—manic and proudly unhinged.
We later learn much of the action takes place on the outskirts of town, which opens the door to such possibilities. Although logic does not ground the film, part of me still wanted answers—if only to satisfy my curiosity.
That said, it may be better not to overthink why Candy is suffering. The story hints that her transformation could be metaphorical—perhaps an expression of anxiety over growing up, abandoning her punk rock lifestyle, and conforming to adult expectations. Dialogue from her boss about needing to get a “real job” helps anchor this interpretation. The film’s sugar-obsession theme becomes a clever metaphor for indulgence and consumption, and naming the character “Candy” drives that point home with dark irony.
Kozak also weaves in nods to horror history. A line of dialogue from Candy’s boyfriend Sid (Drew Forster) references Dracula—specifically Renfield—adding a literary layer that horror fans will appreciate.
As Candy’s body changes in increasingly grotesque and Cronenberg-esque ways, her mental state deteriorates. She’s pregnant and wants an abortion, but Sid can’t afford it. Not even her gynecologist, Dr. Herschell Gordon (Charles Lysne), can help. Kozak’s handling of the transformation is deeply visceral, echoing the cerebral terror of body horror while also tapping into real-world anxieties about bodily autonomy and identity.
With her bold visual style and fearless storytelling, Kozak positions herself as a rising talent in the horror underground. If Sugar Rot is any indication, and paired with her previous projects like Girls with Guts and Linda Blair Barbie, she may soon challenge the local horror royalty.
The Soska Sisters better look out.
4 Stars out of 5
Sugar Rot Movie Trailer (Red Band)
Discover more from Otaku no Culture
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
