Never Walk Alone

Description

Nine-year-old Uyghur boy Aire is passionate about football, but his father forbids him from playing due to a past injury that ended his own football career. Living in a village in Xinjiang, Aire secretly practices while herding sheep, leading to the loss of one of the animals. When he discovers that the prize for the village five-a-side football championship is a sheep, he sees an opportunity to form a team and win back what he lost. He recruits a diverse group of teammates and persuades retired coach Mijit to train them, unaware of the resentment Mijit harbors toward his father. As the team trains and competes, they learn valuable lessons about trust and teamwork. Tensions rise as old grievances surface between Aire and his father, as well as between Mijit and the boy's dad. Throughout the film, the characters confront their pasts while working together towards a common goal. The cast includes Yu Rongguang, Alimjian Tursunbek, Akbar Yahefu, and Wei Na. Never Walk Alone is set for release in 2026.