The Blackcoat’s Daughter (originally titled February) is a chilling slow-burn horror film written and directed by Osgood Perkins, the son of Anthony Perkins (Psycho). This atmospheric psychological horror weaves a story of isolation, possession, and grief, slowly unraveling its mystery in a nonlinear structure that leaves you questioning reality until the very end.
Detailed Summary
The Premise: Winter, Isolation, and Ominous Voices
The movie is set at Bramford Academy, a Catholic boarding school for girls in upstate New York. It’s the start of the winter break, and two students, Kat (Kiernan Shipka) and Rose (Lucy Boynton), are left behind when their parents fail to pick them up. As the snow piles up, an unsettling atmosphere envelops the school. The two are forced to stay under the supervision of two nuns — who are, as we soon suspect, not as benevolent as they appear.
Kat is quiet, socially awkward, and begins to exhibit disturbing behavior — hearing voices and acting as if she’s under some sinister influence. Rose, older and more confident, is stuck there because she lied to her parents about the break dates so she could hide a personal issue: she’s pregnant. Their isolation and secrets intertwine as something dark begins to stir in the empty hallways.
The Second Storyline: Joan’s Journey
Parallel to this, we meet Joan (Emma Roberts), a mysterious young woman traveling alone during the same icy winter. She’s picked up by a kindly but melancholic couple, Bill (James Remar) and Linda (Lauren Holly), who offer her a ride. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Joan has a troubled past — she’s been in a psychiatric institution and seems to be running from something unspeakable.
What’s not immediately clear, however, is how Joan’s journey connects to Kat and Rose’s story. The film builds suspense by cutting between timelines without revealing which events happen first.
The Darkness Within Bramford
Back at the academy, Kat becomes increasingly possessed by an unseen demonic presence — which she calls “the Father.” She speaks in tongues, levitates, and eventually kills both nuns, as well as Rose. These acts aren’t shown in graphic detail at first, but the film hints at them with eerie stillness and lingering shots.
Later, police find the aftermath — Kat kneeling before a boiler room furnace, having decapitated her victims, offering their heads to the demon inhabiting her. She’s arrested, and the authorities send her to a psychiatric hospital. The school is left haunted by the memory of the murders.
Movie Ending
In the final act, timelines converge. We learn that Joan is actually Kat, years older, having been released from the mental institution after serving her time. The trauma of the possession and the murders still consumes her. She returns to Bramford Academy, now abandoned, to revisit the site where the demon once lived within her. Kat (now Joan) desperately seeks to reconnect with the demonic “Father,” believing it was the only being that ever loved her.
She sneaks into the basement, only to find the boiler cold and lifeless. The place is silent. Whatever dark spirit once inhabited it is gone. Realizing this, Kat breaks down completely, sobbing uncontrollably in the snow — her last connection to meaning has vanished. The movie ends with her utterly alone, howling into the void.
It’s a devastating, quiet ending — not one of redemption or horror in the traditional sense, but of spiritual emptiness and loneliness. The real terror lies not in the demon’s presence, but in its absence.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, The Blackcoat’s Daughter does not have any post-credits scenes. The film ends with Kat’s breakdown, fading into silence. The credits roll immediately after, offering no additional closure or hints of a sequel.
Type of Movie
This is a psychological horror and supernatural thriller, with elements of mystery and drama. It’s a slow, atmospheric film that relies on tension, ambiguity, and mood rather than jump scares.
Cast
- Kiernan Shipka as Kat
- Lucy Boynton as Rose
- Emma Roberts as Joan (older Kat)
- James Remar as Bill
- Lauren Holly as Linda
Film Music and Composer
The haunting and minimalist score was composed by Elvis Perkins, the director’s brother. The music is sparse, eerie, and deeply melancholic, perfectly matching the film’s tone of isolation and dread.
Filming Locations
The movie was filmed primarily in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, using a real Catholic boarding school and local snowy landscapes. The cold, desolate Canadian winter becomes almost a character itself, amplifying the feeling of being trapped and forgotten. The bleak, snow-covered surroundings emphasize the themes of emptiness and spiritual desolation.
Awards and Nominations
While not a mainstream awards contender, The Blackcoat’s Daughter received praise at several film festivals and won recognition for its direction and performances:
- Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) premiere buzz
- Fangoria Chainsaw Awards nomination for Best Actress (Kiernan Shipka)
- Boston Underground Film Festival – Jury Award for Best Feature
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Director Osgood Perkins wrote the screenplay years before directing it, inspired by his fascination with loneliness and faith.
- Perkins described the movie as being “less about the devil and more about the loss of love.”
- Kiernan Shipka spent time studying cases of alleged possession to create a subtle, realistic performance.
- The film’s production design deliberately avoided traditional horror tropes, emphasizing sterile hallways and stark lighting over gothic settings.
- The nonlinear editing was a late decision, designed to keep the viewer off-balance and create a more emotional impact when timelines converge.
Inspirations and References
- Loosely inspired by Catholic exorcism stories and the idea of spiritual abandonment.
- The structure and pacing were influenced by films like The Shining and Don’t Look Now.
- Perkins cited Roman Polanski’s psychological horror films (Rosemary’s Baby, Repulsion) as major stylistic influences.
- The tone mirrors the existential loneliness of 1970s horror rather than the shock-value style of modern horror.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
While there are no known alternate endings, the original cut reportedly contained more dialogue between Kat and the nuns, as well as a scene showing Kat’s arrest in greater detail. Perkins trimmed these to maintain ambiguity and emotional detachment.
Book Adaptations and Differences
The Blackcoat’s Daughter is not based on a book, but its literary tone and pacing feel novelistic. Many critics compared its storytelling to Shirley Jackson’s psychological horror writing.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Kat’s eerie dinner scene where she stares blankly at Rose while the sound fades away.
- The sequence of the beheadings, shown only through fragmented, dreamlike flashes.
- The final shot of Kat crying alone in the snow — arguably one of the most haunting endings in modern horror.
Iconic Quotes
- Rose: “You smell like old milk.”
- Kat: “He’s here.”
- Father Brian (offscreen memory): “God loves you.”
- Kat (final scene): “Please don’t go.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The number “2” appears repeatedly — on rooms, clocks, and buses — symbolizing the film’s dual timeline and split identity theme.
- The name “Bramford” echoes the “Bramford Apartments” from Rosemary’s Baby, another satanic horror reference.
- The title “The Blackcoat’s Daughter” refers both to the devil (“the black coat”) and Kat, metaphorically “his daughter.”
- The boiler room resembles hell imagery from older exorcism films, suggesting the demon’s infernal home.
Trivia
- The film was shot in 19 days.
- Osgood Perkins originally intended for the story to take place in the 1970s, but budget constraints kept it contemporary.
- The film’s original title, February, represents both the coldest month and the idea of being stuck between two seasons — much like Kat’s mental state.
- Many scenes were filmed in near silence, with minimal direction, to enhance natural discomfort among the cast.
Why Watch?
If you enjoy slow, cerebral horror with deep emotional undercurrents, this film is for you. It’s not about cheap scares — it’s about grief, loneliness, and spiritual decay. The nonlinear storytelling rewards patient viewers who like to piece together mysteries. It’s haunting, quiet, and deeply unsettling long after the credits roll.
Director’s Other Movies
- I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
- Gretel & Hansel (2020)
Recommended Films for Fans
- The Witch (2015)
- Saint Maud (2019)
- Hereditary (2018)
- The Lodge (2019)
- The Others (2001)
- The Innocents (1961)
