The Postman's White Nights

In "The postman's white nights" the local postman is the only connection with the outside world for the inhabitants of a very remote (only accessible by boat) rural area in the North of Russia. Because of this the postman is much more than only a postman. He delivers also other goods than mail and is closely involved in the lives of the families in his area.

Because they are both situated in Northern Russia "The postman's white nights" is often compared with "Leviathan" (2014, Andrey Zvyagintsev) from the same year. Apart from the Northern place of action another similarity is the abundant consumption of Wodka.

But there are differences too. The landscape in "Leviathan" is messy, the landscape in "The postman's white nights" is at times eye-catching situated as it is in Kenozersky National Park. The Wodka consumption in "Leviathan" is mainly due to frustration with widespread corruption, in "The postman's white night's" it is caused by boredom.

I would like to make a comparison with a film that at first sight is completely different: "One Hour Photo" (2002, Mark Romanek).

In "One Hour Photo" a photo developer gets intimately involved with a family, in "The postman's white nights" it is a postman. In both casus a rather unusual situation. In "One hour photo" the reaction is very negative, in "The postman's white nights" on the contrary it is positive.

OK, the main character in "One hour photo" is much more creepy (and tragic) than the main character in "The postman white nights", but I think there is another, less obvious, reason.

"One hour photo" plays in a Western urban environment where the nuclear family is the norm and people can meet their needs by market transactions.

"The postman's white nights" plays in an Eastern rural community where extended families are the norm and neighborly help is essential to survive.

Comments to the plot summary: the absence of our usual comfort doesn't necessarily mean "Neolithic Era" :) What this film has to offer is not what you see on the screen. It's what it makes you think about. It's the memories that it brings. It's much more. You might feel pity for these people in their remoteness, but, in fact, we should feel pity for ourselves in our addiction to comfort and lack of pure human interrelationship. They've definitely got it. It's about us, good and bad, silly and wise.. it's about kindness that is still there, deep inside us. It's about the beauty and magnificence of nature, which is our primary government. Purity, genuineness and reflection... Thank you, Mr. Konchalovskiy!

I didn't expect docu-fiction from Konchalovskiy but that's ok... it was good. I especially enjoyed the romance between the postman and the police woman (the movie made me identify with him and desire her, as Laura Mulvey would say) as well as its lyrical moments (the rockets! the boat trip! the contemplation of nature!). I also think it's beautiful that a remote community like this has acted in a movie.

The concept is simple, the premise even more so, the execution - well done. It is a different movie in that you follow a mail carrier in a somewhat remote (but not too remote) southern part of russia. As he delivers mail we get to see his interactions with the community, learn about it, about life, their struggles, their aspirations... all of those are covered and more. It feels like a documentary at times.

Nothing in this movie is sensationalized which is very in line with russian cinema. Everything is low key but not moody or brooding as we have grown accustomed to their cinema.

The acting is very natural, the events are completely realistic, the flow is well paced and you never feel overwhelmed, lost or bored with the script.

Not much to say about it other than it is a good drama. And the locations are very nice, i could totally see myself setting up a lakeside cabin there. You really get that feel through it all since the camera work and scene composition have been well done.

You can seek deeper meaning in this, and it has plenty of that offer, or you can take it at face value. Both ways, the story is consistent and the movie works whichever way you view it. I wanted to give it an 8 but that is way too high. We will have to settle for 7 because i feel some scenes could have been better elaborated on.

My advice is to watch this film to experience it's captivating photography and the characters that live in the back country to whom the postman must deliver their mail.

You see their hope, needs, desires, boredom, and hopelessness. There really isn't a plot to this movie it's just a fascinating look into the lives of a small almost forgotten community living on the very outer edges.