As the title implies, The Homeless examines the lives of the unhoused in contemporary China. Still, this is ultimately with mixed results.
The Homeless focuses on two individuals, Xiaolong and Wai Wai, both friends who stay at the same shelter. However, the movie eventually coalesces into a narrative built around Xiaolong. Between the two characters, Xiaolong is simply the more dynamic individual and better talker.
The documentary depicts the daily lives of Xiaolong and Wai Wai as well as Echo, the social worker who runs the shelter that the two stay and help out at. Much of the movie’s storyline ends up being colored by Echo’s commentary and her views on the homeless.
At the same time, The Homeless clearly attempts to depict the unhoused in a sympathetic light. This is successful, but sometimes runs the risk of undercutting Xiaolong and Wai Wai’s agency as individuals. Even so, The Homeless does well enough in depicting Xiaolong, Wai Wai, and their friends making conscious choices in staying on the streets.
Eventually, the documentary comes to focus on Xiaolong’s attempt to return to the home that he ran away from at the age of eight, to reunite with his parents. Xiaolong is also motivated by the desire to reclaim his ID, so as to make his life easier. This, of course, proves easier said than done. Xiaolong must then also deal with relatives that may not actually want him back or be willing to care for him, as well as the fact that his hometown has now become unrecognizable after development. Although compelling enough, Xiaolong’s journey home intrudes late into the narrative. Instead of bringing his narrative arc to a close, or summing up the rest of the documentary, it comes off mostly as grasping at a way to end the documentary.
In this sense, even if The Homeless’ subject of the unhoused in China is compelling enough, the documentary has mixed results because of its mediocre storytelling. This serves to undercut what other merits The Homeless has; in fact, if not for Xiaolong’s talent as a raconteur, the documentary would be rather directionless and have little in the way of a narrative. While still a valuable look at the lives of homeless individuals in contemporary China, one would have hoped for better.
The Homeless (Chinese: 地衣)—China. Dialog in Mandarin Chinese. Directed by Ji Qiuyu. Running time 1hr 24 min. First released October 18, 2025 at the Alula Film Festival.
This article is part of our dedicated coverage of the 2025 Alula Film Festival.
This article is also published in No Man Is An Island, an online publication focused on the connections between everyday life and politics. No Man Is An Island is brought to you by the team behind New Bloom Magazine.