Grafted (2024) a blood-chilling study of Eurocentric esthetics

 

Synopsis:

Grafted is a 2024 New Zealand coming-of-age body horror film centering on Wei, a brilliant but socially awkward Chinese immigrant student with a genetic facial birthmark. After moving to New Zealand on a university scholarship, she attempts to complete her late father's secret, revolutionary skin-grafting research to hide her deformity. When faced with alienation from her popular cousin and peers, her obsession takes a dark, bloody turn as she begins harvesting skin from others to achieve the perfect face and ultimate popularity.

My thoughts:

Body horror for women always involves aesthetics. If you have not had enough of "The Substance" or "The Ugly Stepsister", add "Grafted" to your watch list. Wei, the tormented protagonist, actually has a somewhat legitimate grievance - a birthmark on her face and neck. Most psychologists and plastic surgeons would agree that wanting to remove a birthmark is legitimate wish and not an indication of body dysmorphia. While Elizabeth in "The Substance" is up against time, and Elvira in "The Ugly Stepsister" is up against her mother's expectations, Wei is fighting something more nefarious - Eurocentric beauty standards. Getting rid of the birthmark is not enough. After getting rid of the wine-colored stain, she is trying to erase her entire Asian heritage. The obsession leads her down the path of complete self-obliteration and assumption of other people's identities.