Dark August

Sal Devito moves from NYC to rural Stowe, Vermont with his girlfriend Jackie, hoping for a fresh start. He struggles to adapt to country life, and soon a car accident claims the life of a young girl, though he is later cleared of responsibility. The girl's grandfather, Ned McDermott, begins stalking him.

While Sal and his friend Paul work on building Sal's art studio, a hooded figure appears in the woods nearby, drawing Sal's attention away from the work. The distraction leads Paul to injure his leg in the ensuing mishap. The fear grows as the figure seems to watch from a distance.

Sal, trying to drive Paul to the hospital after the incident, spots the hooded figure again on a covered bridge and swerves in panic. The car crashes, leaving both men shaken and wary of what is stalking them. They eventually reach the hospital, where Sal's terror becomes more palpable.

Sal experiences a near-collapse in a grocery store due to mysterious, painful symptoms. He struggles to stand and is supported by others, deepening his sense that something malevolent is targeting him. The episode adds to the fear that the curse may be real.

During a dinner with Theo and Lesley, Lesley the clairvoyant performs a tarot reading that warns Sal he is in danger and that a mysterious woman will come to his aid. The reading casts a shadow over Sal's life, suggesting forces beyond his control are at work. The conversation sows seeds for seeking Adrianna's help.

Jackie mentions Adrianna Putnam, a local psychic accused of witchcraft by townspeople, as someone who might be able to help Sal. Sal remains skeptical but desperate for a solution. This sets the stage for their planned visit.

Back home, Sal witnesses the hooded figure at the forest edge along his property, and follows it into the woods. The figure does not respond to his calls, deepening the sense of a malevolent presence. The encounter heightens Sal's paranoia.

Sal, Jackie, and Lesley visit Adrianna, who confirms that Ned McDermott has cast a curse on Sal. She advises burning the unfinished studio—the first place he encountered the hooded figure—believing the demonic presence resides there. The plan is to cleanse through fire.

Sal follows Adrianna's advice and sets the studio on fire, but the local fire department puts out the blaze before the threat can be eliminated. In the struggle to stop the firefighters, Sal is arrested, compounding his fear and confusion. The event amplifies the town's suspicions about him.

Jackie goes to McDermott's house in a bid to undo the curse, where she discovers his occult paraphernalia and is attacked by him. She escapes and seeks Adrianna's help, signaling the plan to protect Sal with a ritual. This marks a turning point toward a confrontation with the malevolent force.

Adrianna gathers Sal, Jackie, Theo, and Lesley for a ritual designed to transform negative energy into protection. She performs an incantation and drinks with the others, invoking a safeguarding energy. McDermott arrives and shoots Adrianna, halting the ritual, but the demonic force turns against him.

A later sighting of the hooded figure prompts Sal to confront it with a shotgun. His dog senses danger and attacks him, forcing Sal to shoot the dog to protect himself. He collapses beside his dying companion, the weight of the curse looming over him.