Abigail Before Beatrice
Director: Cassie Keet Run Time: 109 min. Format: DCP Release Year: 2025
Starring: Olivia Taylor Dudley, Riley Dandy, Shayn Herndon, Jordan Lane Shappell, Molly Jackson
Featuring a post-screening Q&A with director Cassie Keet.
Beatrice (Olivia Taylor Dudley) lives an isolated life in rural Arkansas, recovering from the traumas of being in a cult. Upon receiving the news that her former cult’s leader has been released from prison, Beatrice contends with past demons and reconcile with her past life’s myriad emotional minefields, including a complicated relationship with fellow cult member Abigail (Riley Dandy). Undeniably dark and unnerving yet also tender and powerful, writer-director Cassie Keet’s ABIGAIL BEFORE BEATRICE is a devastating entry into cult horror, one that’s as interested in generating empathy as it is leaving its viewers rattled. —Matt Barone