Never Walk Alone
永不孤行
Synopsis
On the grasslands of Huocheng, Ili, Xinjiang, nine-year-old Uyghur boy Aire loves football deeply, but his father strictly bans him from playing. Twenty years ago, a match injury cut short the father’s football career, and he has regarded football as “a devil that destroys lives” ever since. When herding sheep, Aire sneaks in football practice and loses a sheep by accident. Finding out the village five-a-side football championship prize is a sheep, he plans to build a team, win the title and hide his fault. Aire puts together a multi-ethnic ragtag team and persuades retired coach Mijit to coach them. Unbeknownst to him, Mijit is the source of his father’s old grudge. In training and games, the kids learn trust, and old rifts between father and son, mentor and apprentice start to mend. Football finally shows them: in family ties, mentorship and companionship, we never walk alone.
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Silk Road International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Zhang Shitao
- Original Title
- 永不孤行
- Country of Origin
- China
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- Unknown
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Zhang Shitao
Department Leadership Roster
Zhang Shitao
Director
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Frequently Asked Questions About Never Walk Alone
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Never Walk Alone about?
On the grasslands of Huocheng, Ili, Xinjiang, nine-year-old Uyghur boy Aire loves football deeply, but his father strictly bans him from playing. Twenty years ago, a match injury cut short the father’s football career, and he has regarded football as “a devil that destroys lives” ever since. When herding sheep, Aire sneaks in football practice and loses a sheep by accident. Finding out the village five-a-side football championship prize is a sheep, he plans to build a team, win the title and hide his fault. Aire puts together a multi-ethnic ragtag team and persuades retired coach Mijit to coach them. Unbeknownst to him, Mijit is the source of his father’s old grudge. In training and games, the kids learn trust, and old rifts between father and son, mentor and apprentice start to mend. Football finally shows them: in family ties, mentorship and companionship, we never walk alone.
Who directed Never Walk Alone?
Never Walk Alone was directed by Zhang Shitao.
Who stars in Never Walk Alone?
The principal cast of Never Walk Alone includes Alimjian Tursunbek, Akbar Yahefu, Wei Na, Parman Parhat, Yu Rongguang.
When was Never Walk Alone released and how long is it?
Never Walk Alone was released in 2026 with a total runtime of Unknown.