Visual aesthetics in cinema and analysis of Denis Villeneuve's films

Throughout history, people have evaluated the objects, structures, and images around them through various qualifications; these evaluations have, over time, laid the groundwork for the formation and evolution of the concept of aesthetics. Visual aesthetics, as a subfield of aesthetic theory, examine beauty, harmony, and forms of artistic expression as perceived through visual experience. Cinema, by combining visual and auditory elements, deepens the aesthetic experience as an art form. This thesis aims to analyse the visual aesthetics, cinematographic elements, and mise-en-scène in Denis Villeneuve's science fiction films; to identify recurring visual and thematic motifs; to evaluate these motifs in terms of their functions within the narrative; and to determine the auteur characteristics of the director based on his mise-en-scène choices. Among the hypotheses of the study is that Denis Villeneuve can be regarded as an auteur director due to his recurring and distinctive visual style (minimalist composition, slow pacing, and the characterization of space) and narrative strategies. In this context, four of Villeneuve's works in the science fiction genre, Arrival (2016), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Dune: Part One (2021), and Dune: Part Two (2024) have been selected through purposive sampling, and the director's style and aesthetic approach are examined in detail. The analysis reveals that Denis Villeneuve has developed a distinctive style in his science fiction films with cinematography and mise-en-scène. It has also been observed that the director fulfils the auteur criteria set forth by Andrew Sarris: technical competence, a distinctive style, and an interior meaning.