The short film Half the World is Sleeping (2024), created by a team of staff and students from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) and the University of Nottingham UK (UNUK), has taken the global film festival circuit by storm. Having competed in over 100 international festivals, it has received 21 official selections and won awards for “Best Film” and “Best Screenplay” in Panama, France, and Bolivia. But what makes this short film so effective in capturing the essence of cross-cultural storytelling?
A unique narrative framework that makes Chinese stories resonate globally
The film tells the story of Elsa Potts, an elderly woman with Alzheimer’s, who spends her days in an elevator searching for the compass left by her grandfather. It delicately portrays her family’s response to her memory loss: her daughter Sarah remains numb and detached, Ian tries to intervene, while James responds with empathy and compassion. Within just fifteen minutes, the story layers emotional tension and conflict, evoking both the profound weight of familial bonds and the tender warmth of human connection.
The key to this short film standing out on the international stage is not just that it allows a Chinese story to ‘go out,’ but that it allows it to ‘reach in’, establishing deep, universal emotional connections with audiences around the world,Head of the School of International Communications and Associate Professor in Creative Industries and Transmedia at UNNC.
Dr Gilardi further explained that, historically, many Chinese films have struggled to resonate emotionally with global audiences, not only because of narrative and cultural differences but also due to a shortage of filmmakers capable of bridging local identity with global sensibility.
In a bid to support talent development in China, the UNNC research team identified a noteworthy trend in 2022, when three Chinese short films gained significant recognition at major international festivals — including Busan International Film Festival; BFI London Film Festival and 75th Cannes Film Festival. In analysing these award-winning works, the researchers found that they shared common narrative patterns grounded in universal human experiences such as family, growth, and struggle. By emphasising and exploring values such as family harmony, professional dedication, and cultural belonging —and by employing symbolic imagery with a classical narrative structure — these films achieved cross-cultural emotional resonance. Precise attention to elements such as sound design further enhanced their emotional impact and viewing experience.
These research findings have been integrated into UNNC’s teaching and embedded within its newly launched MA in Digital Screen Production programme. Students not only learn this internationally tested narrative method but also apply it to develop their own original scripts and produce short films, strengthening both their practical skills and cross-cultural storytelling abilities.
Cutting-edge equipment enhances students’ professional skills
Aligned with this research-led approach, UNNC continues to invest in new production facilities, creating a world-class environment where students can bring their ideas to life, produce films to professional standards, and compete at international festivals. The success of Half the World is Sleeping further reinforces this momentum and highlights an exciting future for screen production at UNNC.
In February this year, UNNC unveiled Asia’s first ARRI Virtual Production (VP) and Motion Capture (MC) Studio — a milestone achievement in its partnership with ARRI, global leaders in film technology. The studio, equipped with cutting-edge tools such as real-time LED projection walls and ARRI’s Alexa 35 and Alexa Mini LF camera systems, aims to nurture the next generation of film talent right here at UNNC.
Even before the studio’s official launch, Half the World is Sleeping was filmed using the school’s ARRI Alexa Mini LF camera system. Despite most students participating in filmmaking for the first time, the project achieved impressive results — with ARRI film technology playing a key role.
Dr Levi Dean, Co-Director of the Institute of Screen Production and a Certified ARRI Camera Systems Trainer, explained that ARRI cameras can record in ARRIRAW, a professional format valued for the technical and creative flexibility it provides. By capturing uncompressed sensor data, ARRIRAW gives filmmakers far greater latitude when adjusting colour and exposure in post-production, enabling students to experiment, take creative risks, and build confidence in their ability to operate within a high-end film production environment.
“At UNNC, we not only gain hands-on experience with industry-leading ARRI equipment and learn the filming workflow, but, more importantly, we develop a deep understanding of the logic of filmmaking and the power of collaboration,” said Yude Liu, a first-year student on the MA in Digital Screen Production programme.
“During the collaborative short film project, everyone takes on different roles — director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, lighting designer, or art designer. Every collaboration, every experiment, is an opportunity to explore oneself and expand one’s horizons. UNNC’s open and innovative learning environment has strengthened my belief in the power of film to tell stories to the world with heartfelt emotion.”
Published on 30 October 2025