Butterfly Kisses 2018

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 He watches them and edits a rough cut on an outdated laptop, drawn into the mystery.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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.