The Bare Wench Project

In October 1994, Heather, Mike, and Josh travel to Burkittsville to document the Blair Witch legend. They interview locals who recount Rustin Parr's terrifying murders and warn of a forest haunted by an evil force. The trio begins filming with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.

Locals describe Rustin Parr, a hermit who abducted seven children in 1941 and murdered them in his basement, forcing one child to stand in a corner. They also hear about Robin Weaver, a missing girl who returned claiming an old woman with feet that never touched the ground. The stories foreshadow the malevolent forces said to haunt the forest.

The trio hikes into the northern forest to gather material for their documentary. A fisherman warns them the area is cursed and shares more chilling legends. They press on, intent on capturing something authentic despite the growing unease.

They travel to Coffin Rock, where five men were slaughtered in the 19th century and their bodies disappeared afterward. The locals' stories deepen the sense that something malevolent watches them. The eerie atmosphere of the area becomes a recurring theme in their footage.

That night they camp and discover an old graveyard with seven cairns, one of which Josh accidentally knocks over. Heather records the discovery, while the others feel the forest pressing in on them. The unsettling surroundings foreshadow the dangers to come.

The following night, they hear sticks snapping and glimpse stick figures hanging from trees. Heather discovers their map is missing after a heated argument about its fate. The tension rises as they realize they may be truly lost in the woods.

In the morning they find they have walked in circles, crossing a river they had already passed. The landscape looks the same in every direction, heightening their fear that the forest itself is manipulating them. They decide to press on by heading south with Heather's compass.

The trio resumes their trek and, the next morning, Josh vanishes without a trace. Heather and Mike search the surrounding woods, calling his name through the trees. They grow increasingly convinced that they are being drawn into something unseen and deadly.

That afternoon Heather discovers a bundle of twigs tied with fabric from Josh's shirt, containing bloodied teeth and hair. She hides her shock and chooses not to reveal it to Mike, clinging to a fragile hope that Josh may still be alive. The evidence, however, confirms something horrific has occurred.

That night Heather records a tearful message addressed to her and Mike’s families, apologizing for what has happened and acknowledging that something evil is haunting them. Her voice carries fear but also a stubborn resolve to document their experience. The confession hints at an acceptance of their doomed situation.

The same night, Josh's voice leads them to the abandoned ruins of Rustin Parr's house, where children's bloody handprints are found on a wall. They follow the cries deeper into the building, hoping to locate Josh. The air grows heavier as unseen forces tighten their grip on the trespassers.

They search the attic for Josh but find nothing. Mike then hears Josh's voice in the basement and rushes down. An unseen force attacks Mike, knocking his camera from his hands, and Heather enters, shouting as her own camera captures Mike standing in a corner facing the wall while he remains unresponsive.

Heather screams for Mike as the assault intensifies and the house seems to close in around them. Mike remains rigid in the corner, and the camera finally cuts to black, leaving their fates unresolved. The scene seeds the enduring myth of the Blair Witch.

The footage ends with the sense that an unseen evil has claimed the filmmakers, leaving their fates unknown and the legend even more terrifying. The forest is portrayed as a living force that cannot be escaped, regardless of the filmmakers' intent. Viewers are left to interpret what happened to Heather, Mike, and Josh.