What Is Butterfly Kisses About?
The premise of Butterfly Kisses in 314 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a sleepy New England town where the ordinary and the uncanny coexist, an urban legend whispers through the damp walls of the Ilchester Tunnel. Locals speak of an unseen figure known only as The Peeping Tom, a presence said to be summoned by watching the tunnel at midnight without blinking. The ritual’s final, unsettling gesture—an imagined “butterfly kiss”—has become a chilling shorthand for the unknown forces that seem to watch back.
Gavin York, a struggling wedding videographer fresh from film school, stumbles upon a dusty box of unlabeled tapes hidden in the basement of his in‑laws’ new home. The cassette labels read “Don’t Watch,” a warning that only deepens his curiosity. Armed with an antiquated laptop, he begins to piece together the fragments, feeling both the pull of a potential breakthrough and the weight of something far more unsettling.
The tapes belong to former film students Sophia and Feldman, who, years earlier, set out to document the Peeping Tom myth with the belief that a camera could serve as a surrogate eye. Their obsessive experiment—to keep a steady gaze on the tunnel while the world around them blinks—creates a tense, almost reverent atmosphere that blurs the line between observation and invitation. Their unfinished footage hints at a story that has never been told, a mystery that lingers just beyond the frame.
Seeing a chance to resurrect his own stalled career, Gavin York gathers a small crew to turn the discovered material into a new documentary, appointing aspiring filmmaker Erik Kristopher Myers to lead the effort. As they prepare to chase the legend, the project becomes a crucible for ambition, skepticism, and the growing sense that the act of watching may be reshaping reality itself. The thin veil between filmmaker and subject begins to fray, promising a journey where the camera’s eye is both a tool and a possible conduit for something far darker.
What Happens in Butterfly Kisses?
The complete story of Butterfly Kisses, from the first scene to the last, in 651 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In May 2015, Gavin York, Seth Adam Kallick, a struggling wedding videographer and film school dropout, stumbles upon a dusty box of tapes labeled “Don’t Watch” in the basement of his in‑laws’ newly purchased home. He watches them and edits the footage on an aging laptop, turning the discovered material into a new project that promises a breakthrough he desperately seeks.
The tapes are fragments of a March 2004 documentary by Sophia Crane, [Rachel Armiger], and Feldman, [Reed Delisle], who set out to test a local urban legend about a mysterious figure known as Peeping Tom. According to the legend, Peeping Tom can be summoned by staring down the Ilchester Tunnel at midnight for a full hour without blinking. Once summoned, he closes in with each blink, performs a brutal “butterfly kiss” by fluttering his eyelashes on the victim’s face, and then kills them. The students install a camera to film the tunnel, hoping the lens will act as a human eye. But when Peeping Tom appears in the tunnel footage, he also starts to show up in other clips they shoot, suggesting his presence has infected the camera itself. Each clip filmed while the camera is on brings him closer, and Feldman’s grip on reality begins to fray as the danger escalates, until he is murdered by Peeping Tom and Sophia is left to carry on alone.
Driven by a hunger for a filmmaking break, Gavin hires a crew to document his discovery of the tapes and his pursuit of proof. The team, headed by Erik Kristopher Myers, quickly suspects the whole project may be a hoax or a trap, especially when they uncover that Sophia and Feldman had previously won an award for a documentary that used an actor to portray a real person. The mystery deepens as Gavin’s online gamble fails to attract credible interest from news outlets or local groups, so he turns to an improvised publicity tour—an online posting paired with a radio interview that he hopes will ignite attention.
During the interview, callers mock the existence of Peeping Tom, including Blair Witch Project co-director Eduardo Sánchez, who dismisses the whole thing as a derivative curiosity. The ridicule, combined with the mounting strain of the project, places a growing wedge between Gavin and his family. His wife ultimately leaves him after discovering that he drained their son’s college savings to fund the investigation and the film.
The tension peaks when Gavin guides the crew to a rendezvous outside the Ilchester Tunnel, intending to reenact the ritual with a camera. The group debates whether to intervene or seek psychiatric help as Gavin’s behavior grows more obsessive. They hear a frightening noise that sounds like him running through the tunnel, and when they reach the spot, he has vanished, taking the camera with him.
Nine days later, Erik receives a package containing a DVCam film, a separate note addressed to Sophia, Gavin’s journal, and a hotel keycard. Inside a hotel room, the crew discovers Gavin’s lifeless body in the bathtub. After weighing their options, they decide not to involve the police and instead choose to continue the project, with Erik reframing it as Gavin’s story rather than a straightforward study of Peeping Tom. When a crew member asks whether Peeping Tom is real, Erik remains silent, offering no clear answer.
Additional footage reveals Sophia recounting a dream where she stares down the tunnel for the full hour without blinking, then confronts the terrifying possibility that she actually summoned Peeping Tom. She claims to have found a way to defeat him, but the scene ends with a shattered glass picture frame and the ghastly image of her cutting her eyelids with the shards.
In a mid‑credits moment, Sophia appears to be confined in an insane asylum, where she reaches out and seems to caress Peeping Tom’s face, leaving the question of what is real and what nightmare still lingering.
Butterfly Kisses Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Gavin finds the Don't Watch tapes” to “Mid-credits: Sophia in an asylum”. 14 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Gavin finds the Don't Watch tapes
Gavin York, a struggling wedding videographer, discovers a box of tapes labeled Don't Watch in the basement of his in-laws' newly purchased home. He watches them and edits a rough cut on an outdated laptop, drawn into the mystery. The discovery pulls him toward a chilling, potentially career-launching project.
When:May 2015 Where:In-laws' basement
- 2
A 2004 documentary introduces Peeping Tom
The tapes are part of a March 2004 documentary by Sophia and Feldman, two film students. They explore the urban legend of Peeping Tom, who can be summoned by staring into the Ilchester Tunnel at midnight for an hour. The case sets up a horrific premise that unsettles the students.
When:March 2004 Where:Ilchester Tunnel
- 3
The camera as a human eye begins to distort reality
Sophia and Feldman film the tunnel, believing the camera will act as a human eye. When they review footage, Peeping Tom materializes in the tunnel view, suggesting the entity has infiltrated the camera itself. The presence grows more insistent as new clips are shot.
When:March 2004 Where:Ilchester Tunnel and filming site
- 4
Feldman deteriorates; Peeping Tom murders him
As the footage accumulates, Feldman’s mental state deteriorates under the influence of Peeping Tom. He is ultimately murdered by the entity, leaving Sophia to continue the project alone. The tragedy underscores the danger behind the investigation.
When:March 2004 Where:Filming site / editing room
- 5
Sophia continues the project after Feldman’s death
With Feldman dead, Sophia presses on with the documentary, determined to prove the legend or at least complete the work she and Feldman began. The tapes become the seed of a longer, more dangerous pursuit. The project shifts from a student piece to a personal obsession.
When:March 2004 Where:Filming site / editing setup
- 6
Gavin hires a crew to chase the discovery
In May 2015, Gavin hires a film crew to document his discovery of the tapes and his bid to prove Peeping Tom exists. He envisions a professional trajectory built on a sensational, haunting story. The crew begins filming their investigation into the tapes and Gavin’s obsession.
When:May 2015 Where:Gavin’s project headquarters
- 7
Doubts surface about authenticity
Erik Kristopher Myers and the crew start questioning the tapes’ authenticity. They uncover that Sophia and Feldman had previously won an award for a documentary that used an actor to portray a real person, fueling suspicion about the footage’s origin. The project becomes more enigmatic than it first appeared.
When:May 2015 Where:Editing room / research space
- 8
Gavin goes public and faces ridicule
Gavin posts the footage online and arranges a radio interview to promote it. The interview draws mocking calls from listeners, including Eduardo Sánchez from The Blair Witch Project, who dismisses the film as a derivative stunt. Public reaction undermines Gavin’s credibility while intensifying his fixation.
When:May 2015 Where:Radio interview / online platform
- 9
Gavin’s obsession fractures his family
The fixation on Peeping Tom strains Gavin’s family life, culminating in his wife leaving after she discovers he used their son’s college savings to fund the film. The personal cost of the pursuit becomes painfully clear as relationships fray. Gavin doubles down, unable to let go of the project.
When:May 2015 Where:Gavin’s home
- 10
The tunnel confrontation and Gavin vanishes
Gavin directs the crew to meet him outside the Ilchester Tunnel to recreate the ritual on camera. A heated debate over seeking psychiatric help erupts among the crew, who later hear sounds like Gavin sprinting into the tunnel. When they follow, they find he has vanished, taking the camera with him.
When:May 2015 Where:Ilchester Tunnel
Show the other 4 events of Butterfly Kisses Hide the last 4 events
- 11
A package reveals Gavin’s fate
Nine days after Gavin’s disappearance, Erik receives a package containing a DVCam film, a letter addressed to Sophia, Gavin’s journal, and a hotel keycard. At a hotel room, the crew discovers Gavin’s corpse in the bathtub. The mystery deepens as the team grapples with what happened.
When:Nine days after disappearance Where:Hotel room / unknown location
- 12
The crew chooses secrecy and continues the project
After debate, the crew decides not to bring the footage to the police and instead contemplates continuing the project. Erik resolves to reframe the film as the story of Gavin rather than as a straight investigation into Peeping Tom, leaving the truth tantalizingly unresolved.
When:Post-discovery Where:Editing room / office
- 13
Sophia’s dream and self-mutilation footage
In additional footage, Sophia recalls a dream of staring down the tunnel for a full hour and realizing she had summoned Peeping Tom. She claims the entity is right in front of her and goes to extreme lengths, slicing off her eyelids with glass, in a disturbing act tied to the ritual.
When:Within the 2004 footage narrative Where:Footage / studio
- 14
Mid-credits: Sophia in an asylum
In a mid-credits scene, Sophia is shown in an insane asylum, seemingly caressing Peeping Tom’s face. The ending hints at a lasting, unresolved horror and leaves open whether the legend was real or a product of obsession.
When:Post-events Where:Insane asylum
Who Are the Main Characters in Butterfly Kisses?
8 characters, among them Gavin York (Seth Adam Kallick), Sophia Crane (Rachel Armiger) and Feldman (Reed Delisle): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- GY
Gavin York (Seth Adam Kallick)
Played by Seth Adam Kallick
A struggling wedding videographer and film school dropout who becomes consumed by the quest to prove the Peeping Tom legend. He aggressively pursues the project, even using his son's college savings, which fractures his family life and pushes him toward a dangerous obsession.
- 🎬 Filmmaker
- 🌀 Obsession
- 💔 Family-strain
- SC
Sophia Crane (Rachel Armiger)
Played by Rachel Armiger
A film student who co-created the 2004 documentary and dives into testing the urban legend with Feldman. She endures mounting pressure, not blinking while filming, and later asserts the presence of Peeping Tom in front of her, hinting at a possible personal psychological break.
- 🎓 Student
- 📷 Filmmaker
- 🕵️♀️ Investigator
- F(
Feldman (Reed Delisle)
Played by Reed Delisle
Sophia's partner in the 2004 documentary whose mental state deteriorates as the legend's influence grows. He is ultimately murdered by Peeping Tom, underscoring the dangerous costs of chasing unsettling truths.
- 🎓 Student
- 🧠 Deterioration
- ⚰️ Victim
- EK
Erik Kristopher Myers (Erik Kristopher Myers)
Played by Erik Kristopher Myers
The crew leader who suspects the footage might be fake but continues the project to reframe it as Gavin's story. He pushes forward with the investigation, shaping how the film is packaged and presented to audiences.
- 🎬 Director
- 🕵️♂️ Skeptic
- 🔁 Reframer
- AY
Amelia York (Eileen Del Valle)
Played by Eileen Del Valle
Gavin's wife who ultimately leaves him after discovering he drained their son's college savings to fund the film. Her departure marks a turning point in Gavin's personal life and underscores the collateral damage of the obsession.
- 👩 Wife
- 💔 Absent support
- 🔎 Family-stress
- BH
Bart Hunkeler (Michael Whelan)
Played by Michael Whelan
Gavin's father-in-law, part of the in-laws who own the basement where the tapes are found. His presence contextualizes the family dynamics and the stakes of the in-law relationship amid the filming ordeal.
- 👨 In-law
- 🏠 Family ties
- 🔎 Observer
- EH
Eve Hunkeler (Janise Whelan)
Played by Janise Whelan
Gavin's mother-in-law figure whose life is intertwined with the in-law household where the tapes surface. Her perspective adds depth to the family pressures surrounding the film project.
- 👵 In-law
- 🏠 Family ties
- 💔 Strain
-
Eduardo Sánchez (Himself)
Played by Eduardo Sánchez
Blair Witch Project co-director making a cameo on a radio interview, where he dismisses the project as derivative. His skeptical voice contrasts with the film's obsessive drive.
- 🎙️ Cameo
- 🗯️ Radio
- 🧭 Perspective
Where and When Is Butterfly Kisses Set?
Butterfly Kisses is set in Ilchester Tunnel, Gavin York's in-laws' basement and hotel room (May 2015). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
May 2015
The main events unfold in May 2015 as Gavin discovers the tapes and pursues a career by proving the legend. The found tapes recount a March 2004 documentary by Sophia and Feldman, whose work frames the original investigation. The narrative shifts between Gavin's present-day production chaos and the past archival footage, blending timelines.
Where
Ilchester Tunnel, Gavin York's in-laws' basement, hotel room
Ilchester Tunnel is the central site of the Peeping Tom legend where the midnight ritual unfolds. Gavin's in-laws' basement is where he first uncovers the watchful tapes and launches his filmmaking quest. The hotel room later becomes a key location for the collection and discovery of Gavin's package, including the journal and other crucial items.
- 🗺️ Urban location
- 🕳️ Tunnels
- 🏚️ Basements
- 🏨 Hotel rooms
What Are the Themes of Butterfly Kisses?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Obsession, Reality vs Fiction and Voyeurism.
-
01
Obsession
Gavin's fixation on proving a myth drives him to reckless choices, including using his son's college savings and sacrificing family stability. The pursuit of fame and proof poisons personal relationships and clouds moral judgment. The story examines how relentless fixation can erode identity and priorities.
-
02
Reality vs Fiction
The documentary within the tapes blurs lines between truth and fabrication, with the crew doubting the footage's authenticity. Erik's decision to recast the narrative as Gavin's story highlights how storytelling can manipulate perception. The tension centers on what counts as 'real' in a world built by images.
-
03
Voyeurism
Peeping Tom's presence seems to emerge wherever the camera points, turning recording into a ritual of watching. The footage infects other footage, suggesting the legend feeds on the act of observation. Characters feel watched, pressured, and psychologically unsettled as the line between observer and subject dissolves.
What Kind of Film Is Butterfly Kisses?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A tense found-footage horror that spirals from obsession into madness as a filmmaker becomes increasingly consumed by his quest to prove the existence of a deadly urban legend.
- suspenseful
- obsessive
- paranoid
- disturbing
- paranoia
- mental unraveling
- urban legend
- found footage
- documentary filmmaking
- reality blurring
Content notes: psychological horror, mental unraveling, graphic injury.
Quiz
How well do you remember Butterfly Kisses? Test yourself on the story.
