A special delivery from China’s ‘Postmen’

Huo Jianqi’s “Postmen in the Mountains” is a work of exquisitely wrought simplicity as it explores a father and son relationship. Adapted by Si Wu from a short story by Peng Jianming, it was filmed in southern China’s Hunan province amid rugged mountains and vast valleys of awesome unspoiled beauty and grandeur.

A postman (Teng Lujun), who has a farm in one of those valleys, has finished his last day of work and has passed on his job to the one person he trusts with it, his own young son (Liu Ye). The father is only in his late 40s, but hard work has aged him considerably, and chronic pain in his legs has forced his retirement. He sees his son off, but when his dog Laoer, a loyal German shepherd, automatically stays behind with his master, the father decides he must accompany his son on his first rounds.

It’s a very good idea, because so arduous is the father’s route, covering more than 75 miles on foot over a three-day period, it’s hard to imagine how the son, sturdy and intelligent as he is, could have ever pulled it off without coaching from his father and crucial assistance from Laoer along the way. They visit tiny, ancient villages nestled so high in the mountains that there are no real roads reaching them, and the arrival of the postman is no small event, since visitors are few and far between.

A kindly, thoughtful man, the postman is held in great esteem and affection, and he is zealous in performing the job he loves even though it has exhausted him. It slowly dawns upon the son that his father not only is helping him but has also embarked on a farewell tour; despite assurances to the contrary, the postman is unlikely to see the friends he has made along his route ever again.

Gradually it becomes clear that the father and son are virtual strangers. At the time the son was born his father worked so far away from home that he returned only every three months. Witnessing his father’s dedication and the respect he receives for his effort, the son is in effect discovering what his father, a quietly heroic figure, is like, which in turn inspires him to follow literally in his father’s footsteps. “Postmen in the Mountains” is undeniably a heart-tugger, but it is also a stirring affirmation of the rewards of a job well done.

In the film, time seems to stand still, but the son knows better. He was willing to take over for his father because he believes it important to have an official of the state “no matter how lowly” in the family. But the son surmises that it’s only a matter of time before he will be supplanted by a helicopter.

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‘Postmen in the Mountains’

MPAA rating: Unrated

Times guidelines: Suitable for all ages

Teng Lujun...Father

Liu Ye...Son

Gong Yehong...Granny

Chen Hao... Girl, member of Dong clan

A Shadow Distribution release of a co-production of the Xiaoxiang and Beijing Film Studios. Director Huo Jianqi. Producer Kang Jianmin. Screenplay by Si Wu; based on a short story by Peng Jianming. Cinematographer Zhao Lei. Music Wang Xiaofeng. Art director Song Jun. In Mandarin, with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Exclusively at Laemmle’s Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 274-6869.