The first of four installments in the groundbreaking Heartbeat of the World anthology film series. Comprised of several short films by some of the world's most exciting directors, Words with Gods follows the theme of religion - specifically as it relates to an individual's relationship with his/her god or gods...or the lack thereof. In Words with Gods, each director recounts a narrative centered around human fragility, as well as environmental and cultural crises involving specific religions with which each has a personal relationship; including early Aboriginal Spirituality, Umbanda, Buddhism, the Abrahamic faiths, Hinduism, and Atheism. An animated sequence by Mexican animator Maribel Martinez is woven through each of the film segments, with each segment narratively connected as a feature-length film.

Having died unexpectedly, firefighter Ja-hong is taken to the afterlife by 3 afterlife guardians. Only when he passes 7 trials over 49 days and proves he was innocent in human life, he’s able to reincarnate, and his 3 afterlife guardians are by his side to defend him in trial.

As the deceased soul Ja-hong and his three afterlife guardians prepare for their remaining trials for reincarnation, the guardians soon come face to face with the truth of their tragic time on Earth 1,000 years earlier.

In a windswept fishing village, a mother is torn between protecting her beloved son and her own sense of right and wrong. A lie she tells for him rips apart their family and close-knit community.

"The Gods" is a modern day 'Romeo and Juliet', where Mikey James, a street hustler raised on the streets with his two brothers, goes to work for the Fasano family, as he desperately tries to find a way out of his hustling life style. Mikey James has always been in love with the Mob bosses beautiful daughter, Sofia Fasano. Now he begins his move to capture her heart.

Suzanne Waters (Karen Abercrombie) has just passed the baton as the principal of the local high school. Having spent a lifetime teaching life lessons, the journey into retirement is about to bring her one of her greatest lessons. Her lesson plan will come from a troubled young man, Eli, as she invests in his life. Suzanne also becomes a first-time grandmother, and the new life of the baby brings renewed hope to the family as each member discovers their core value in God's path for their lives. As Suzanne reflects back on her life of faithfulness, we are reminded that there are no accidents in God's Kingdom, no chance meetings, no purposeless steps taken.

A complicated friendship between a young Somali and Nigerian man unfolds against the chaos of gentrification and displacement in the small immigrant community in Cardiff known as Tiger Bay.

A complicated friendship between a young Somali and Nigerian man unfolds against the chaos of gentrification and displacement in the small immigrant community in Cardiff known as Tiger Bay.

An ex-con becomes the traveling partner of a conman who turns out to be one of the older gods trying to recruit troops to battle the upstart deities. Based on Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel.

A boozy lowlife tries to bury the truth about his crazy stepson's suspicious death, but a nosy newspaper columnist and the young man's mother complicate matters.