THE GOOD POSTMAN

Nestled near Turkey’s border is a tiny Bulgarian village that has seen its share of weary travelers over the centuries dating back to the early years of the Ottoman Empire. Now, given the multitude of instability in Africa and the Middle East, this village is again seeing the foot traffic of refugees trying to find a new home anywhere in Europe. THE GOOD POSTMAN is director Tonislav Hristov’s sixth documentary, and it couldn’t be more timely given the wave of refugees and nationalism that is sweeping through Europe and here at home. When Ivan, the titular postal worker, decides to run for mayor of the town of a few dozen people, he runs on a platform of granting asylum to the refugees. His thinking is this will re-energize the sleepy and decrepit town. A microcosm of much larger stages, the town and its people contain all the characters we’re seeing in our political theater today—including an ill-mannered malcontent who thinks the refugees will be the end of the town. Beautifully shot and poignant, THE GOOD POSTMAN is a nice reminder that there is still good in people. (In Bulgarian with subtitles) —T.W.