What Is Daughters of Satan About?
The premise of Daughters of Satan in 295 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the humid heart of Manila, James Robertson, an American museum curator, is drawn to a centuries‑old canvas that depicts a brutal execution of three women—one of whom bears an uncanny likeness to his wife. The painting’s eerie realism and the strange, almost magnetic pull it exerts on him set the tone for a story that blends art‑history intrigue with an undercurrent of forbidden desire. The work is more than a relic; it feels like a portal that beckons the curious and the wary alike, hinting at histories best left untouched.
Chris Robertson is a poised, enigmatic presence beside James, her reactions to the painting unsettlingly layered. Their marriage, already steeped in the quiet tensions of expatriate life, suddenly seems to echo the sinister tableau on the wall. As the couple navigates the murky streets and shadowed alleys of the city, they encounter whispers of a secret coven—sensual, fire‑wielding witches who move behind a veil of elegance and menace. The cult’s allure is as intoxicating as it is terrifying, promising both revelation and ruin to those who glimpse its flame.
The film wraps its characters in a heady mix of gothic horror and erotic suspense, bathing every scene in flickering light and lingering heat. The atmosphere is thick with the scent of incense, the crackle of unseen fires, and the soft rustle of ancient tapestries. As James and Chris become increasingly entangled with the enigmatic women who seem to know more about the painting than anyone should, the line between art and reality blurs, pulling them toward a revelation that could reshape the very core of their relationship. The story invites the audience to wonder what hidden histories linger in forgotten brushstrokes and how love can be both a sanctuary and a gateway to darkness.
What Happens in Daughters of Satan?
The complete story of Daughters of Satan, from the first scene to the last, in 701 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In Manila, the dominatrix leader of a coven of Satanic witches tortures a member who has strayed from them. Meanwhile, James Robertson, an American museum curator, visits Carlos Ching’s antiques store under the pretext of purchasing a painting for a museum. While in the shop, James encounters a painting from 1592 depicting conquistadors burning three women and a dog at the stake—he is taken aback when he notices that one of the women bears a striking resemblance to his wife, Chris Robertson. James purchases the painting, and finds Chris highly disturbed by it. She remarks the name of the coven depicted in it—the Duarte coven—and also knows the year the executions took place, but cannot recall where she learned of it.
The following day, Chris is approached by a dog that resembles that in the painting, and which bears a collar with the name Nicodemus. James later notices the dog has mysteriously faded from the painting. Shortly after, a woman named Juana Rios stops by the home, claiming to be responding to a housekeeper advertisement, though Chris informs her they did not place one. Juana glimpses the painting in the living room, and she and Chris both notice that Juana also resembles one of the women depicted in it. A frightened Chris asks Juana to leave, but Juana insists on staying to help Chris fulfill her “destiny” before presenting her with an antique dagger. After Juana takes on housekeeping duties for the Robertsons, James notices that a second figure—this time one of the three witches—has disappeared from the painting.
James visits the address on Nicodemus’s collar, which he finds to be a mortuary. The man working there directs James to the address of Carlos’s antique store; as Jim exits the mortuary, he fails to notice a coffin being prepared with his name, as well as the corpse of the woman tortured by the coven. Upon entering Carlos’s store, James finds Carlos dead, a dagger in his heart, and is attacked by an unknown man, but manages to elude him. The incident prompts James to visit Dr. Dangal, a psychiatrist. During their visit, one of Dangal’s other patients, Kitty Duarte—the dominatrix coven leader—rambling about being forced to do evil things. After she leaves, James remarks that she resembles the third woman in the painting.
Chris begins to make subtle attempts at murdering James, but none are successful. James discusses the changes in his wife’s personality with Dangal, who begins to suspect she may be possessed. James and Dangal notice that the images in the painting seem to reappear at night, when neither Juana, Chris, or Nicodemus are active. Later, Dangal has a vision of the three witches dancing as he drives home. Kitty manifests an explosion that kills him on a bridge. After Dangal’s funeral, Kitty attempts to seduce James, and then shows him another painting depicted a different scene of the witch burning, which shows the magistrate Roberson who ordered the execution; James observes that it bears a striking resemblance to himself. Kitty believes Jim is a descendant of Roberson, and that the women he executed have sought vengeance against every subsequent generation in his family.
Later, the coven convenes in a dilapidated villa. Chris is strung up half-naked and beaten by Kitty, who accuses of her failing to fulfill her task. After she returns home, Chris drugs James, and she, Juana, and Kitty place him in his car atop a precipice with ice blocks beneath the tires. Just before midnight—when the car should plunge over the cliff—James awakens. Meanwhile, Chris, Kitty, and Juana, all gathered at a restaurant, come out of a deep trance. Juana introduces herself to the others as Almina Remundo, a nurse; Chris expresses fear about Jim’s whereabouts, after which Kitty urges her to visit Dangal. Chris returns home by herself, and finds Jim there, alive. Though groggy, he recalls escaping the car before it plunged over the cliff. Nicodemus, who was previously antagonistic to James, is now friendly. Chris continues to feel something is awry. As she and James lie down on his office couch, the painted images of the witches begin to fade. A tearful Chris reaches for the dagger, and stabs James to death.
Daughters of Satan Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Painting purchase at Carlos's shop” to “Final confrontation and the death of James”. 14 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Painting purchase at Carlos's shop
James Robertson visits Carlos Ching's antiques store and buys a painting from 1592 depicting conquistadors burning three women and a dog. He is startled to notice that one of the women bears a striking resemblance to his wife, Chris. The painting hints at a coven called the Duarte coven and sets the mystery in motion.
When:Day 1 morning Where:Carlos's antique store
- 2
Chris disturbed by the painting
Back at home, Chris is disturbed by the painting and mentions the Duarte coven by name. She hints at a hidden history connected to the artwork and the couple’s fate. The tension between them begins to mount.
When:Day 1 morning Where:Robertson home
- 3
Nicodemus the dog and the painting's fading
A dog resembling the painting's canine companion arrives at the Robertson home, wearing a collar with the name Nicodemus. James notices the dog and sees the image in the painting shift as if reacting to real events. The supernatural link between the painting and their lives grows stronger.
When:Day 1 afternoon Where:Robertson home
- 4
Juana Rios arrives and resembles a painting figure
Juana Rios arrives, claiming to answer a housekeeper advertisement the couple did not place. She recognizes the painting and bears a striking resemblance to one of the depicted women. Chris asks her to leave, but Juana insists on staying to help fulfill her alleged destiny.
When:Day 1 afternoon Where:Robertson home
- 5
A second figure disappears from the painting
After Juana settles in, the second figure from the painting—the other witch—disappears. The altered painting confirms that the coven’s influence is manifesting in their world. James remains unaware as danger closes in around the Robertsons.
When:Day 1 evening Where:Robertson home
- 6
Mortuary traces and Carlos's murder
James traces Nicodemus’s collar to a mortuary and discovers a coffin bearing his own name along with the body of a tortured woman. He then searches Carlos’s antique store and finds Carlos dead with a dagger in his heart, while an unknown man attacks him and he manages to flee. The chain of killings and the paintings' clues push James deeper into the mystery.
When:Day 1 evening Where:Mortuary and Carlos's antique store
- 7
James seeks help from Dr. Dangal
James consults Dr. Dangal, who suspects that Chris may be possessed and questions the couple’s strange changes. Kitty, a patient and dominatrix tied to the coven, rambling about evil deeds, resembles the third woman in the painting. The doctor begins to recognize that the painting’s imagery is echoing through real events.
When:Day 1–2 Where:Dr. Dangal's office
- 8
Possession hints and nightly visions
James and Dangal discuss the painting’s power as the images reappear at night, even when Juana, Chris, and Nicodemus are inactive. Dangal has a disturbing vision of the three witches dancing as he drives home. Kitty’s influence over James and the mystery intensifies.
When:Night Where:Dr. Dangal's office
- 9
Dangal dies in a coven-linked incident
Kitty triggers an explosion that kills Dr. Dangal on a bridge, further linking the coven to deadly consequences. James’s sense of safety erodes as the coven tightens its grip. The revelations about the painting mount as the threat becomes personal.
When:Night Where:On a bridge
- 10
Funeral and Kitty's seduction of James
Following Dangal’s funeral, Kitty tries to seduce James and shows him another painting depicting a different witch-burn scene, bearing a striking resemblance to James as Roberson’s descendant. Kitty believes the ancestral vengeance will reach his family. James’s paranoia deepens as the coven’s reach appears to stretch across generations.
When:After Dangal's funeral Where:Funeral location
Show the other 4 events of Daughters of Satan Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Coven plans at the dilapidated villa
The coven gathers at a dilapidated villa to enact their rituals, while Chris is strung up and beaten by Kitty for failing to fulfill her task. Juana meanwhile continues to insert herself into the Robertsons’ fate. The scene marks a turning point as the trio tightens their grip on the household.
When:Later Where:Dilapidated villa
- 12
Car trap and the midnight countdown
Chris drugs James and, with Juana and Kitty, places him in a car atop a precipice with ice blocks under the tires. The trio gathers at the edge for a ceremonial countdown, while outside the city lights fade. Just before midnight, James awakens, breaking the deadly setup.
When:Just before midnight Where:Precipice edge
- 13
Restaurant gathering and identity reveal
While James regains consciousness, Chris, Juana (Almina Remundo), and Kitty converge at a restaurant and come out of a trance, with Juana confirming her alias as a nurse. Chris expresses fear for Jim’s whereabouts, and the group discusses their next steps. The unfolding revelations deepen the sense that the coven’s plans are far from over.
When:Same night Where:Restaurant
- 14
Final confrontation and the death of James
Chris returns home to find Jim alive but groggy after escaping the car trap. The painted images begin to fade from the walls as a sense of relief gives way to trepidation. In the final moment, in James’s office, Chris reaches for a dagger and stabs James to death.
When:After midnight Where:James's office
Who Are the Main Characters in Daughters of Satan?
7 characters, among them James Robertson (Tom Selleck), Chris Robertson (Barra Grant) and Kitty Duarte (Tani Guthrie): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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James Robertson (Tom Selleck)
Played by Tom Selleck
American museum curator drawn into a web of witchcraft and danger. Intellectual and skeptical at first, he grows increasingly unsettled as the painting's prophecies and his wife's behavior hint at possession, forcing him to question reality.
- 🧭 Investigator
- 🕵️♂️ Husband
- CR
Chris Robertson (Barra Grant)
Played by Barra Grant
James's wife, whose increasingly disturbed demeanor mirrors a dangerous occult influence. Her attempts to kill James, memory gaps, and shifting loyalties push the couple toward a fatal confrontation.
- 💔 Jealous
- 🪄 Influenced
- KD
Kitty Duarte (Tani Guthrie)
Played by Tani Guthrie
Dominant leader of the coven, a figure of control who wields ritual power and manipulates others to fulfill the witches' fate.
- 🔪 Dominatrix
- 🕯️ Manipulative
- JR
Juana Rios (Paraluman)
Played by Paraluman
A mysterious visitor who befriends Chris and claims a role in the coven's plan, later revealed as Almina Remundo, a nurse with occult ties.
- 🪄 Mysterious
- 🧭 Enigmatic
- CC
Carlos Ching (Vic Diaz)
Played by Vic Diaz
Owner of a bustling antique store and a gateway to the past through his artifacts, connecting the present to the 1592 painting.
- 🛍️ Antique dealer
- 🗝️ Gatekeeper
- DD
Dr. Dangal (Vic Silayan)
Played by Vic Silayan
Psychiatrist who investigates James and Chris's behavior, becoming entwined in the mystery as visions and murders unfold.
- 🧠 Psychiatrist
- 🔍 Investigative
- M(
Mortician (Paquito Salcedo)
Played by Paquito Salcedo
Mortician connected to the occult's darker rituals and the murder investigation, providing eerie atmosphere and a link to death scenes.
- ⚰️ Mortuary worker
- 🕯️ Ritualistic
Where and When Is Daughters of Satan Set?
Daughters of Satan is set in Manila, Philippines, Carlos Ching's antiques store, Mortuary, Dr.. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Manila, Philippines, Carlos Ching's antiques store, Mortuary, Dr. Dangal's office, a dilapidated villa, a restaurant, cliff overlook
The story unfolds in Manila, a bustling city where a secret coven hides in the shadows of ordinary life. Key locations include Carlos Ching's antiques store, a mortuary, and a psychiatrist's office, as the mystery deepens. The coven gathers in a dilapidated villa, while later scenes move to a restaurant and a cliffside trap that becomes central to the plot.
- 🌆 Manila setting
- 🏺 Antique trade
- 🕯️ Supernatural elements
- 🗝️ Secrets and rituals
What Are the Themes of Daughters of Satan?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Occult Possession, Generational Curse and Betrayal and Deception.
-
01
Occult Possession
A hidden occult force threads through the narrative as the Duarte coven appears to possess Chris and influence James. Paintings and visions act as gateways to past crimes, blurring the line between illusion and reality. The tension escalates as ritualistic signs surface in nightly episodes, culminating in a fatal confrontation.
-
02
Generational Curse
The plot ties present events to a long-ago execution from 1592 depicted in the painting, suggesting a vendetta carried across generations. Kitty and the coven frame James as a possible descendant of the magistrate who ordered the burnings, fueling the sense of a hereditary doom. The artwork and prophecies imply that the past seeks vengeance in the present.
-
03
Betrayal and Deception
Characters manipulate one another through seduction, misdirection, and trance to advance occult aims. Chris uses cunning to quiet her husband and Juana's presence complicates loyalties, culminating in a cliffside murder plan. Despite close calls, ultimate treachery results in a shocking final stabbing.
What Kind of Film Is Daughters of Satan?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Sad
A steadily paced and dark horror film that builds a deeply anxious and oppressive atmosphere around a man realizing his wife belongs to a murderous satanic cult seeking vengeance across centuries.
- suspenseful
- paranoid
- supernatural
- sensual
- oppressive
- occult
- satanic witchcraft
- reincarnation
- supernatural possession
- martial betrayal
Content notes: torture, attempted murder, supernatural possession, psychological manipulation.
Quiz
How well do you remember Daughters of Satan? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Daughters of Satan
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and fuboTV, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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