Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Seyed Javad Zafarmand ¹
• Fatemeh Motesadei ²

¹ Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University

² Art Studies Dept., Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University

Abstract

This research delineates the components of feminism in films by three generations of selected Iranian female filmmakers featured in international festivals. Its objective is a comparative examination of the evolution of these components across three decades (1990s-2010s) and identifying shifts in the approaches of three generations of Iranian female filmmakers towards gender issues. Despite the prominent presence of women in post-revolution Iranian cinema, systematic studies on the manifestation of feminist discourse in their works, especially those representing Iranian women's cinema at international festivals, are lacking. Addressing this gap, the study investigates the evolutionary trajectory of feminist components across three generations of female filmmakers and their interaction with Iran's social conditions. The findings reveal that Banietemad (1990s) aligns with radical feminism and the Second Wave. Milani (2000s) exhibits tendencies towards radical, liberal, and socialist feminism, yet radical feminism and the Second Wave remain dominant in her works. Panahi (2010s), while emphasizing radical feminism and the Second Wave, reverts to liberal feminism and the First Wave. Quantitatively, data confirms that over 90% of themes in the selected corpus belong to the First and Second Waves, with Third Wave components nearing zero representation. Consequently, the results indicate a discursive stagnation in Iranian women's cinema, demonstrating that despite its critical potential, this cinema is trapped in a repetitive cycle of unresolved demands.

Keywords

• Iranian Women’s Cinema
• Feminist Components
• Waves of Feminism

Main Subjects

• Art Research