Remove CSS filter on child elements

Question

I have problem with my css code.

As you see I have filter on li element, but it's overlays other elements. I need to make other two elements had no filter:

Is there any possibility to do so.

.main {
  width:300px;
  height:300px;
  background-color:blue;
  list-style:none;
}

.button {
    position: absolute;
    top: 35% ;
    height: 30px;
    width: 120px;
    display: none;
    z-index: 99;
    background-color:black;
    color:white;
}

.icon {
    width: 30px;
    position: absolute;
    z-index: 99;
    display: none;
    width:100px;
}

.main:hover > .button {
    display: block;
    filter: none;
}

.main:hover > .icon {
    display: block;
    filter: none;
}

.main:hover {
    filter: brightness(50%);
    transition: 0.5s;
}

<li class="main">
<img src="https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/article_attachments/204081043/bear.png" class="icon" />
<a class="button" href="#">Button</a>
</li>

Answer 1

You can't do it that way. Childs are affected by their parent style.
That's how Cascading Style Sheets works.

I suggest you to use a pseudo-element to make it work like you want, so that only the pseudo-element would be affected.

See comments in the snippet:

.main {
  position: relative;   /* Added */
  width: 300px;
  height: 300px;
  list-style: none;
}

.main::before {   /* Added */
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  left: 0;
  right: 0;
  background-color: blue;
  transition: 0.5s;
}

.button {
  position: absolute;
  top: 35%;
  height: 30px;
  width: 120px;
  display: none;
  z-index: 99;
  background-color: black;
  color: white;
}

.icon {
  width: 30px;
  position: absolute;
  z-index: 99;
  display: none;
  width: 100px;
}

.main:hover>.button {
  display: block;
  /* filter: none; Commented */
}

.main:hover>.icon {
  display: block;
  /* filter: none; Commented */
}

.main:hover::before {   /* Modified */
  filter: brightness(50%);
}

<li class="main">
  <img src="https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/article_attachments/204081043/bear.png" class="icon" />
  <a class="button" href="#">Button</a>
</li>

Hope it helps.