The shortest and most concrete part of Wang Bing's documentary trilogy on Chinese workers is also the most contemplative.

By Siddhant Adlakha

Shot over several years, “Youth (Homecoming)” is the final part of Wang Bing’s meticulous documentary trilogy on the shape of Chinese youth. At two and a half hours long, it’s the project’s shortest and most focused film, offering a look at what happens when the clatter of sewing machines finally stops, followed by a stark and surprising look at what happens when they start again.

While it's difficult to call each subsequent installment a "sequel" in the traditional sense—the themes thus far have changed not only from film to film, but from scene to scene—the trilogy's progression has been distinctly sequential. "Youth (Spring)" chronicled the growing pains of young textile workers at the start of the season; "Youth (Hard Times)," meanwhile, followed their financial struggles over the summer, while the final installment chronicles the desertion of Zhili's factories as winter break approaches.