Cold Heaven

Marie Davenport, a lapsed Catholic, begins an ongoing affair with Dr. Daniel Corvin, keeping it secret from her husband. The relationship strains her moral compass even as she plans to reveal the truth at the right moment.

Marie and Alex attend a medical conference together, with Marie intent on telling him about the affair. The professional trip sets the stage for a personal reckoning that will unfold far from home.

While swimming in Acapulco Bay, Alex is struck by a passing motorboat. He is rushed to the hospital with a massive head laceration and dies during emergency surgery.

The hospital notifies Marie that Alex's autopsy will be performed, but his body disappears before the procedure can begin. Authorities begin a frantic search to locate him and uncover what happened.

Daniel learns of Alex's death and breaks the news to his girlfriend Anna, who becomes furious at the situation. The revelation compounds the tangle of infidelity and guilt surrounding the lovers.

Marie returns to her home in Los Angeles while authorities continue the search for Alex's body. The lack of answers deepens her sense of isolation and secrecy.

Marie receives an anonymous message she assumes is from Daniel, directing her to a hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The summons pulls her away from Los Angeles toward the last place associated with their affair.

Before proceeding, Marie visits a local convent in Carmel-by-the-Sea to seek guidance. She then returns to her hotel room, where she is stunned to find Alex alive.

Alex recounts his memory of that day and awakens after seeming dead. The surreal revival leaves Marie both relieved and unsettled, questioning the nature of life and faith.

Exhausted, Marie confesses to Father Niles that she and Daniel orchestrated the boating accident to kill Alex. She interprets Alex's return as God giving her a second chance, intensifying her inner conflict.

The couple decides to move Alex to a hospital in San Francisco due to his declining condition. They begin making arrangements while Father Niles continues to press for answers.

After Alex is released from the hospital, he and Marie spend an evening together, but he wakes thrashing and bleeds again. Marie calls Father Niles for help and retreats to the Carmel convent for sanctuary.

Sister Martha prays on the cliff, and a wind-swept cross is suddenly revealed embedded in the cliffside. The vision echoes Marie's earlier experience of the two ponds and Mary’s instruction about rebuilding a sanctuary.

In the morning, Alex wakes at the hotel with his head wound miraculously healed. Marie and Alex reconnect, and Daniel arrives but is left defeated as the embrace confirms their bond.

In the closing image, Father Niles sits on the edge of the cliff and watches the sun set over Carmel-by-the-Sea. The scene leaves questions about faith, guilt, and the possibility of miracles unresolved.