"The story and my role in the film are profoundly meaningful to me. It is not only critical for my profession but also for the world to be aware of history, thus never letting wars happen again," says actress Sun Qian.

Actor Jiang Wu, also in the film, says: "Chinese cinema has seen massive changes in many aspects and I believe it will become even better in the future. There are more channels to discover and present new stories, such as short videos, web dramas and micro dramas. Regardless of genre, we hope to share more positive, informative, and 'nutritious' stories."

Another actor, Dong Yong, shares Jiang's sentiments: "We see audiences watching movies in cinemas again. The industry is going through changes and we are happy to see such diverse access to films. Yet, what we actors do is essentially the same. It is a good time for acting, and we must cherish it."

A special "Italian Film Week" session was launched as part of the festival to connect China and Italy and promote cultural exchanges. To mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Italy diplomatic relations, over 20 selected Italian films will be screened citywide.

"It is important to give Shanghai audiences an opportunity to see a panorama of Italian cinema. We should do more to promote our films as they go down quite well with all kinds of Chinese viewers," says Muller.