The acclaimed Italian film "There's Still Tomorrow" premiered in China recently, with its creators attending screenings in Beijing and Shanghai.

A still from "There's Still Tomorrow." [Photo courtesy of China Film Group]

The 2023 Italian period comedy-drama film, co-written and directed by Paola Cortellesi in her directorial debut, is set in post-war 1940s Rome. It follows Delia, a working-class wife and mother who challenges traditional family norms and aspires to a better future for herself and her daughter after receiving a mysterious letter.

Cortellesi, along with collaborating screenwriters Giulia Calenda and Furio Andreotti, attended the premiere and special screening events in Shanghai and Beijing from March 8-9, coinciding with International Women's Day celebrations.

"Reflecting on the past is to look forward to the future," Cortellesi said at the Beijing event. She revealed that she drew inspiration from her grandmother's story and the lives of countless women from that era in Italy. The June 2, 1946 referendum also played a significant role, marking the first time Italian women voted on whether Italy should be a monarchy or a republic, and elected representatives to the Constituent Assembly, a body tasked with drafting Italy's post-war constitution. "My grandmother lived in a time when women's rights were far inferior to men's," she said. "Their stories, struggles and fights should be told."

The director also dedicated the film to her daughter and daughters of her generation. "They should bear witness to the rights women hold today because they must understand that these rights did not naturally exist nor will they last forever," she emphasized. "Without this awareness, they won't be able to defend the rights they have now or fight for more in the future."

Creators of "There's Still Tomorrow" pose for a photo with the audience in Beijing, March 9, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Hero Films]

Calenda told China.org.cn that the film reflects the Italian tradition of finding humor in tragedy. "We believe that the heavier and more serious the theme, the more effectively it can be conveyed through comedy," she said. "This film aims to give a voice to women who have never had one — women who have always worked, raised children, cared for the elderly, and managed households, yet received no recognition."

"Previous great Italian directors, when depicting the most severe, tragic and ugly phenomena, always approached them with absurdity and satirical humor. The power that emerged from this was often unexpected. In our creative process, we consciously — or unconsciously — drew inspiration from the post-war neorealist style," added Andreotti.

Shot in black-and-white, "There's Still Tomorrow" pays homage to the neorealist style of the 1940s and 1950s. The creators chose this format to reflect the essence of the era. They conducted extensive research, hired a historian, studied films and documents, and even examined the dialect spoken in Rome during that era.

Director Cortellesi emphasized that the film's ending goes beyond a love story, conveying a deeper message. "Compared with the protagonist being saved by a man, I would rather see her rebirth through self-awakening," she said. "That's more important than love."

A poster for "There's Still Tomorrow." [Photo courtesy of China Film Group]

"There's Still Tomorrow" has earned over $50 million worldwide, becoming Italy's most successful film of 2023 and the ninth highest-grossing film in Italian history. It won six David di Donatello Awards, Italy's top film honors, in 2024, as well as other global accolades. These included the People's Choice Award Gala-Best Film at China's Pingyao International Film Festival. On China's major review site, Douban, the film holds a high score of 9.4/10 based on more than 170,000 user reviews.

At the Beijing premiere, Liang Hong, a scholar, writer and professor in the School of Liberal Arts at Renmin University of China, described the film as "a profoundly impactful women's film with a touch of dark humor." She noted: "It uses lightness to convey weight and laughter to express tears. The film's powerful conclusion leaves a lasting impact as if the director is speaking directly to the audience, encouraging each of us to take action."