The Chinese master’s latest film is a richly detailed observational documentary. The protagonists of Wang Bing’s "Youth" are the lowest-paid workers—seasonal laborers in countless sweatshops churning out clothes stamped with the "Made in China" label. The camera unflinchingly captures the inhumane conditions in which these young people live and work, traveling thousands of kilometers in search of wages that often prove to be little more than a mirage. Those who manage to wrestle their hard-earned money from unscrupulous bosses return to their remote villages to celebrate the New Year and boast of their earnings. Tirelessly following his subjects, one of the most distinguished contemporary filmmakers peels back the facade of the global myth of progress. He symbolically restores identity to those who are mere cogs in a ruthless economic machine. 

Konrad Wirkowski