A masterful one-take sequence effortlessly introduces the film’s milieu—the Japanese occupation of Manchuria circa 1944—as well as its basic premise: an aging father’s attempts to maintain his family line despite this threat. With all able-bodied men being forced into labor by the Japanese, he will stop at nothing to ensure that his daughter-in-law produces a male heir. This sets the stage for an elaborate plot of subterfuge, encapsulating the struggle to persevere against oppression. Shot in exquisite black and white, Winter After Winter brilliantly lays bare the intricacies of the human spirit.