Gunnar Hede, a young aspiring musician in Sweden, is forced to abandon his dreams and take over his family's reindeer-raising business after his father's sudden death. Although he dislikes the work and is not suited for it, he acquiesces to the pressure. While driving the herd over the frozen Arctic, Gunnar is severely injured in an accident, resulting in serious head trauma. His family fears that he may have sustained permanent mental damage and that they may lose both Gunnar and their family business.