A silent song of strength

C'e ancora domani (There's Still Tomorrow) is an Italian feminist comedy written, directed by, and starring Paola Cortellesi. After premiering in Italy in 2023, the film was released on the Chinese mainland on March 8 this year — International Women's Day.

Set in 1946, the story follows Delia, a working-class Italian woman navigating a life filled with hardship. Ultimately, she breaks free from her oppressive, monotonous existence and sets out on a path toward empowerment and freedom.

As I grew up, I encountered strong feminist voices everywhere — online, in lectures and speeches, and even in charity campaigns on TV. It made me question whether I was "feminist enough".

I shared this doubt with my mom, and to my surprise, she said, "My dear daughter, you've always been a brave and outspoken feminist. Every time you stood up and used your voice — whether in speech competitions or on stage — those were your feminist moments. Having a voice is a right, and choosing to use that right to express your ideas is your own act of feminism."

But I didn't quite understand. Doesn't everyone have a voice? How could simply speaking be considered such a precious right?

Later that day, I watched the newly released movie C'e ancora domani, and that's when I found my answer.

Delia, the protagonist, lives a life marked by hardship — poverty, a broken marriage, difficult children, and domestic violence. But as I watched, I realized her deepest suffering wasn't just the physical or material struggles — it was being constantly silenced. Every time she tried to speak, her husband would cut her off, and her father-in-law would scold her for talking too much, telling her to learn to stay quiet.

But Delia always had a rebellious spirit — she wanted to be heard. At the end of the movie, she took a bold step: instead of going to work, she lied to her husband and went to vote. It was her way of claiming the right to have a say in her country's future.

That was the moment I finally understood what my mom meant when she said, "Having a voice is a right." That's why Delia's simple act of placing her vote into the ballot box brought me to tears. Voting was her "silent singing" — a quiet yet powerful declaration that she was finally being heard.

It's thanks to the struggles of thousands — millions — of women before us that I, as a 21st-century Chinese girl, have so many opportunities to express my thoughts and ideas. I'm living in the "tomorrow" they fought for — a tomorrow that no young woman, anywhere in the world, should ever take for granted.

Feminism, like Delia's vote, isn't always about grand gestures that change the world overnight. It lives in the small moments — standing on stage at a speech competition, casting a vote in a student council election, or simply raising your hand in class.

Written by Yang Zihan, a 17-year-old from Shenzhen, Guangdong, and the national winner representing China in the 2024 International Public Speaking Competition. She is also the founder of "Sheignite", a youth-led platform that amplifies the voices of Chinese women across generations and regions.