What the Snow Brings (2005)

In the frost-kissed town of Obihiro, Hokkaido, a desperate gamble leads Manabu Yazaki, a man teetering on the brink of ruin, to place his remaining fortune on the aging "banba" horse, "Unryu". This horse is ridden by Makie, the offspring of a legendary jockey, in an adrenaline-fueled draft-horse race. As dusk falls, Manabu, haunted by defeat, seeks solace in the company of his estranged brother, Takeo, a horse trainer and stable owner whom he cut ties with thirteen years earlier. A past painted with a prestigious Tokyo university degree, a flourishing company, and a seemingly blissful marriage, Manabu's present crumbles into bankruptcy, a shattered marriage, and a life on the run from creditors and an irate business partner. Undeterred by their rocky past, Takeo offers beleaguered Manabu a lifeline - a place in his stable, not as a brother, but as a stable hand earning his keep. As Manabu immerses himself in the humble life amidst the hay and horses, he forges genuine friendships with the stable boys and embarks on a mission to restore Unryu to his former racing glory. Simultaneously, he finds himself drawn to rekindle the dwindling confidence of Makie, once triumphant in her early races, but now trapped in a demoralizing losing streak. Yet, in this journey of redemption and rediscovery, a shadow looms: Takeo's stern resistance to allow Manabu to meet their mother, confined to a nursing home. The unfolding tale is an intricate weave of brotherhood, betrayal, and the relentless pursuit of second chances, set against the backdrop of Hokkaido's icy serenity.

What the Snow Brings is a drama movie featuring Yûsuke Iseya and directed by Kichitaro Negishi.

What the Snow Brings is currently streaming on IndieFlix.