Chattanooga Film Fest 2025 Review: Abigail Before Beatrice

Beatrice returns to the place she fled, only to find the past isn’t ready to let go in Abigail Before Beatrice.

Abigail Before Beatrice – Escaping the Cult, Confronting the Past

★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5)

By Travis Brown

Cassie Keet’s Abigail Before Beatrice arrives at Chattanooga Film Fest with quiet force—a moody, emotionally loaded cult drama that unfolds more like a slow-drip trauma recovery than a twist-filled thriller. Anchored by a standout performance from Olivia Taylor Dudley as Beatrice, the film delivers a compelling exploration of identity, manipulation, and the lingering pull of past devotion.

Beatrice, once known locally as one of the “cult girls,” returns to the rural homestead tied to her former life—a life built under the influence of a messianic manipulator named Grayson (played with eerie restraint by Shayne Herndon). As she tries to piece together who she was and who she might become, she’s visited by Abigail (Riley Dandy), a fellow survivor and perhaps something more. What begins as a check-in becomes a quiet plea for reconnection, safety, and maybe even redemption.

The chemistry between Dudley and Dandy gives the film its pulse, especially as the film subtly shifts from survival narrative to intimate character study. There’s an undeniable weight to Abigail’s care, her guilt, and her longing—a dynamic that feels authentic without tipping into melodrama. Their history is never fully spelled out, and that restraint works in the film’s favor.

Keet smartly interlaces modern touchpoints—true crime podcasts, voyeuristic media, and the weaponization of trauma narratives—without overwhelming the core story. The film doesn’t reinvent cult fiction, but it excels at articulating the emotional residue left behind: the purgatory of leaving, the doubt that festers, and the strange comfort of shared damage.

Visually, Abigail Before Beatrice is clean and quiet, which suits its slow-burn rhythm. The writing isn’t flashy, but it’s intentional. Dialogue lands when it needs to, and the performances carry the nuance.

Final Score: 3 out of 5.

Abigail Before Beatrice may not break new ground in cult cinema, but its grounded storytelling, strong acting, and emotional clarity make it a standout indie worth watching. Look for it on the festival circuit and streaming platforms soon—it’s the kind of quietly devastating film that lingers.