In remote Russian villages scattered across the countryside, people often live on the fringes of society, nearly cut off from government influence and largely left to fend for themselves.

[8] The film was reviewed by Variety magazine, which stated that while the likable protagonists and some stunning shots are notable, they do not compensate for its weak spots.

It's a rare pleasure to see a film made with such an elegant compositional eye […] Deep-focus shots of Lyokha at his most pensive, standing on the shores of the lake, are loaded with a sense of place, and of belonging.

The same goes for the hypnotic Steadycam sequences of him zooming along in his boat, the sound of the motor quietly giving way to a slow build of electronica composer Eduard Artemyev's stirring ambient score with choral elements.

"[10]"'The Postman's White Nights' is being widely celebrated as a quasi-documentary, marked by a droll sense of humor that illuminates life in a forgotten corner of the world.