Poster for the short film Nirvana. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The short film Nirvana, directed by Zhang Song from Nantong, recently made it to the Short Film Competition section of the 78th Salerno International Film Festival in Italy.

Founded in 1946, the Salerno International Film Festival has been regarded as a prestigious event for both Italian and international films since its inception, providing a competitive platform for the advancement of global cinema.

"This short film is so wonderful! It is filled with mysterious, ancient, charming and fascinating Chinese elements. Fantastic!" said a foreign judge at the recent film festival in reference to Zhang's short film Nirvana.

The film's storyline is quite simple: an Eastern woman named Wanchun believes she accidentally killed a mysterious creature in her mansion, so she continues to search for the true identity of the creature. The process of seeking the truth, reflected through the "stream of consciousness" portrayed by light and shadow, reveals the essence and meaning of life, reflecting the endless vitality of "everything reviving forever in spring". The film interprets the essence of human nature and the value of life rooted in Eastern philosophical thought through the dynamic interplay of light and shadow and character transitions.

The elegant mystery of the Eastern woman dressed in a qipao, the unique perspective of Eastern aesthetic tastes, the inclusive nature of ancient Eastern philosophical thoughts, the clever fusion of Eastern art and Western fashion... all of these captivated the judges at the Italian film festival.