Postmen in the Mountains

We saw "Postmen in the Mountains" yesterday.

This is a beautiful, evocative movie telling a very simple story about a young men who takes over a strenuous postal route through the mountains from his father. On his first tour, the father accompanies him and the two spend more time together than ever in their life, both of them discovering how much they didn't know about each other.

The film shows us villages in deepest China, where time seemingly stands still. The two men hike through lush bamboo forests and cross creeks to deliver the mail and they are greeted by a handsome cast of villagers.

Since the film was done digitally, the grainyness and strong colors give it the feel of a documentary, enhanced by the fact that many of the supporting villagers play themselves. I especially enjoyed the scenes in a village of the Tong minority where the two postmen witness a wedding dance.

The only negative point about the movie are the English subtitles, which are in desparate need of English-native editing.