Snow Falling on Cedars

The cinematography of Snow Falling on Cedars is a love letter to the Pacific Northwest

The classic novel Snow Falling on Cedars, written by Seattle local David Guterson, became the beloved 1999 movie and visual treat of the same name. Unlike many films that are shot on Whidbey Island but set in other parts of the country, the cinematography of Snow Falling on Cedars is a love letter to the Pacific Northwest specifically. The heart wrenching story of love, death, and racism in a small community is set on the fictional PNW island of San Piedro in 1954, following the real-life incarceration of thousands of innocent people of Japanese ancestry, most of whom were American citizens. From love found in rain drenched cedar forests to a snowstorm that grips the island throughout a tense murder trial, this movie will make you cry while also gasping at the natural beauty of the region. Nods to Washington are seen throughout, such as maps and state flags, and the production spent time filming in Port Townsend and Cathlamet as well as Ebey’s Reserve on Whidbey.

Time stamps for scenes shot on Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve

00:13:00
First view of the contentious farm at the heart of a land dispute among neighbors. The Ferry House at Ebey’s Reserve was built in 1860 and is only occasionally open for tours, but you can walk down the farm lane and admire the historic-house-turned-movie-location from outside. Stop by the visitor center on Cemetery Road for more information.

00:24:55
Views over the strawberry farm which is actual farmland within Ebey’s Reserve.

00:33:58
Carl Heine’s farm is seen again (the Ferry House) followed by views across to the bluff.