A found-footage exploration of grief, supernatural ambiguity, and the search for closure following a young woman's mysterious death.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Tragedy at the Dam
Alice Palmer disappears during a family swim and her body is later recovered. Her parents identify the remains, leading to a somber funeral that establishes the family's profound grief.
Key Events
Disappearance at Dam — Alice vanishes while swimming with her family. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Dam in Ararat
Body Recovery — Alice's body is discovered days later. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Stormwater basin
Parental Identification — Russell identifies remains while June refuses. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Morgue
Funeral Service — Family holds burial ceremony. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Cemetery
Haunting and Investigation
Unexplained noises and bruises prompt the family to suspect supernatural activity. They request an exhumation and DNA test, which confirms the body's identity while deepening the mystery.
Key Events
Funeral Service — Family holds burial ceremony. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Cemetery
Haunting Noises — Unexplained sounds disturb the household. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Mathew's Bruises — Mysterious marks appear on Mathew's torso. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Apparition Sightings — Russell and June report ghostly encounters. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Exhumation Request — Family demands body examination to confirm identity. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Cemetery
DNA Confirmation — Test proves remains are Alice's. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Laboratory
Secrets and Revelations
A psychic séance fails to provide answers, and Mathew confesses to fabricating paranormal evidence. The discovery of a hidden videotape and the neighbors' sudden departure shift the narrative toward hidden truths.
Key Events
DNA Confirmation — Test proves remains are Alice's. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Laboratory
Psychic Séance — Ray Kemeney attempts spiritual communication. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Fabrication Confession — Mathew admits to faking paranormal evidence. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Home Video Discovery — Apparition and Brett Toohey captured on tape. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Hidden Videotape — June finds explicit footage involving Brett. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Toohey Departure — Neighbors sell home and vanish. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Toohey Residence
Lake Mungo's Truth
Ray's journal and Jason's phone footage lead the family to Lake Mungo. They uncover Alice's final encounter with a disfigured figure, prompting a final departure and lingering supernatural hints.
Key Events
Toohey Departure — Neighbors sell home and vanish. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Toohey Residence
Ray's Revelation — Alice's pre-death dreams and fears disclosed. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Ray's Office
Phone Footage Review — Jason's video shows Alice burying an object. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Lake Mungo Expedition — Family travels to site from phone footage. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Lake Mungo Shoreline
Bloated Figure Encounter — Phone shows disfigured Alice floating toward her. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Lake Mungo Shoreline
Final Room Inspection — June reviews belongings before moving out. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Alice's Bedroom
Window Apparition — Faint figure of Alice seen in departing car window. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Palmer Residence
Lake Mungo — Site of Alice's final encounter and burial. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Lake Mungo
Mobile Phone — Device containing crucial footage of Alice's last moments. Characters: Alice PalmerLocation: Lake Mungo Shoreline
Story Breakdown
Disappearance and Grief — The inciting incident establishes the family's loss and sets the emotional foundation for the narrative.
Dam Incident — Alice vanishes during a routine family swim.
Body Recovery — Her remains are found in a drainage basin.
Funeral Service — The family processes initial shock and loss.
Supernatural Manifestations — Paranormal events blur the line between grief-induced hallucination and genuine haunting.
Household Apparitions — Parents report ghostly encounters in their home.
Mathew's Bruises — Physical marks suggest external supernatural influence.
Camera Recordings — Security footage captures ambiguous figures.
Investigation and Exhumation — The family seeks scientific and spiritual validation to understand Alice's fate.
DNA Confirmation — Forensic testing verifies the body's identity.
Psychic Séance — Ray Kemeney attempts to communicate with the dead.
Fabrication Confession — Mathew admits to staging paranormal evidence.
Hidden Secrets Revealed — Private recordings uncover undisclosed aspects of Alice's life and relationships.
Home Video Discovery — Tape shows Alice's apparition and neighbor Brett.
Explicit Videotape — Hidden footage reveals a compromising situation.
Neighbor Disappearance — The Tooheys flee after their secret is exposed.
Premonitions and Journal — Alice's documented fears provide crucial context for her psychological state.
Ray's Consultation — Alice visits the psychic months before her death.
Alice's Dreams — Recurring visions of drowning and maternal failure.
Journal Entries — Written records detail her escalating anxiety.
Lake Mungo Expedition — The family follows digital clues to the location of Alice's final moments.
Phone Footage Review — Jason's video shows Alice burying an object.
Shoreline Exploration — The Palmers travel to the exact coordinates.
Final Departure and Aftermath — The family attempts closure while supernatural hints persist.
Room Inspection — June reviews Alice's belongings one last time.
Window Apparition — A faint figure appears during the family's exit.
Post-Credits Lingering — Alice's ghost remains at Lake Mungo during a storm.
Psychological Themes — The narrative explores how grief, guilt, and denial shape perception.
Maternal Guilt — June's refusal to view the body highlights her trauma.
Grief Processing — The family cycles through denial, anger, and acceptance.
Reality vs Illusion — The film deliberately blurs supernatural and psychological elements.
After 16-year-old Alice Palmer drowns at a local dam, her family experiences a series of strange, inexplicable events centered in and around their home. Unsettled, the Palmers seek the help of a psychic and parapsychologist, who discovers that Alice led a secret, double life. At Lake Mungo, Alice's secret past emerges.
