In the Mao era, Chinese youth constituted an ideal image, but today, young people are a constantly exploited section of the population, forced to move to Zhili's textile workshops. The third part of Wang Bing's Youth project shows us the temporary joy of these workers when they go home.

Wang Bing, one of the leading reporters of contemporary China, recalls the heroic, revolutionary rhetoric of the Mao era that romanticised youth as the foundation of a new social order. Wang's epic project Youth uses this idea ironically: its youthful subjects are a constantly exploited and expendable section of the population, forced to move to Zhili's textile workshops. The third and final part, Youth (Homecoming), builds on what we saw very briefly in the previous part Youth (Hard Times): the workers' return home to see their friends and family, or to get married. The lively local rituals, with music, dancing, laughter and fireworks galore, add an unexpected cheerful note to Youth. But not for long: soon it is time to return to the noisy machines and dingy rooms in Zhili.

In radical fashion, Wang pushes his observational, non-interventionist documentary style to the limit. He avoids any commentary with voice-over, musical accompaniment or subtle editorial tricks, and tries to immerse himself for extended periods in the everyday behaviour of those he films. Yet he does not strive for invisibility of himself and his crew; the participants sometimes refer (jokingly or critically) to his nearby presence.