Haniel's Woods

When angels lure two disillusioned humans to a karaoke bar, it sparks a life-changing romance and a spiritual quest that thrives on a mutual love for '80s music.

Synopsis:

CALIFORNIA. CHRISTOPHER WELLS (late 40s) is an electrician by trade but he's currently disheveled and lost in thought, wandering amid giant trees in the Sequoia National Forest. Secretly watched by the female angel SANDALFON, Christopher is unaware of his future role in changing the world. He soon discovers a cave and hears the faint sound of a joyful party and a song, "The Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats. He also hears comedian Rodney Dangerfield doing a standup routine about a guardian angel. Curious, Christopher ventures into the dark cave...

Meanwhile, snowflakes fall from Seventh Heaven, the highest region of the heavens. A filament of light lands on the eyelash of the angel HANIEL as his lover ARIEL arrives from the lower heavens to report that souls are becoming lost on Earth as they cling to worldly identities - she can't reach these souls if their minds and hearts are closed and the light within is blocked. Haniel decides to call on the higher heavens to radiate love to the lower realms, and two naked souls, YESU and MARI, appear for the assignment. With the help of 12,000 "avatars," Yesu and Mari will guide souls away from false earthly identities and free their minds.

In a university classroom, a green sphere flickers near the heart of JESSICA ROSE (late 40s) as she teaches Greek mythology. She's unaware of her role in changing the world as she routinely talks about Persephone and Hades. The unseen male angel METATRON explains that Jessica has lost her passion, and she only feels alive when practicing meditation and yoga in her spare time. Jessica now notices
a flashing light and hears Blondie's "Heart of Glass", but her students hear and see nothing of the sort. Bewildered, Jessica continues her lecture.

In Seventh Heaven, Ariel tells Haniel that Yesu and Mari's efforts are working -- thousands of human souls are beginning to stir with powerful feelings. And, as Yesu and Mari embrace in a beautiful meadow, their romance sparks divine love in the hearts of others. Ariel is concerned that humans may not fully embrace the light from within, but Haniel encourages her to have faith. Down on Earth, Christopher has a therapy session with his psychologist DR. PROCTOR (60s) and complains that people rarely laugh or make eye contact. As an electrician with autism, he wonders if people could be "wired" differently to alleviate the boredom of their routine lives.

Later that day, Jessica strolls on a sidewalk, paranoid as she still hears "Heart of Glass." Christopher walks on the same street when there's a sudden burst of rain -- he and Jessica both take cover in a karaoke bar named "Seventh Heaven." When Christopher also hears Blondie, he and Jessica are mutually perplexed. As the bar preps for "'80s Night," Christopher and Jessica have drinks and ponder the ongoing Blondie song, which reminds Jessica of her happy '80s childhood. Christopher also misses the '80s and shares his desire to be a playwright. As Jessica bemoans her "meaningless" job as a teacher, Blondie stops playing. She now admits that she'd rather teach yoga to make the world 12,000 times more beautiful.

As the bar fills up, Jessica and Christopher share their fave '80s music artists -- she loves Pat Benatar while he loves The Cure. Christopher also identifies with Edward Scissorhands and compares Jessica to Buttercup from "The Princess Bride." When Jessica takes a restroom break, she returns to a surprise - Christopher is on stage, dedicating the first song of the night to Jessica, Pat Benatar's "Shadows of the Night." As he sings enthusiastically, the crowd and Jennifer join in. Later, an unseen Ariel watches Christopher and Jessica leave....