Chinese-born director Yaoyuan Zhang crosses borders on a personal and professional level. He came to Japan in 2014 as an international Mext scholarship student and currently studies at the Tokyo University of Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media. “Life is Snow” is his graduation project and had its world premiere at the Osaka Asian Film Festival.

Life is Snow is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival

Ota, a Japanese war orphan left behind in China, returns to northern Japan to work at a bento factory. Due to a financial crisis, his employer fires him, which leads to an argument between Ota and his manager, Nakamura. Ota claims that Nakamura assaulted him and makes a report at the police station. With no other job prospects and an unhelpful lawyer at his side, Ota is in a desperate situation.

The case takes a lot of turns as Ota’s background is revealed more and more.