In Japan’s region Echigo, the locals live with and under heavy snowfall half of the year. Because of this they have developed their own customs of everyday life, festivals, and religious rituals. The film leads us into the reality of the snow landscape with its beauty and austere living conditions.

Legendary German artist Ulrike Ottinger leads us on a spellbinding journey through the sparse and snowy landscapes of Japan’s stunning Echigo region. Weaving together myth, poetry, Kabuki, and ritual, Under Snow explores the rhythms and customs of life in an inhospitable landscape.