The representation of the sacred and belief in cinematic narrative: The case of American Gods

The study examines the ideological dimension of the representation of the sacred as presented in postmodern cinematic narratives through deconstruction, following a literature review on the structure, historical transformation, and modes of positioning of the sacred in societal contexts. It analyzes the representation of the sacred in the television series American Gods (2017–2021) as a case study. The deconstructivist analysis concludes that postmodern cinematic narratives construct an alternative form of sacred reality that, while enabling liberation from authoritarian structures, inherently retains the potential to transform into a form of authority itself. By offering representations that allow audience identification, these narratives guide viewers toward adopting this alternative sacred reality and legitimizing its meaning. Consequently, it can be argued that most postmodern cinematic narratives representing the sacred, while appearing anti-authoritarian, create counter-ideologies that contain the latent potential to transform into authority and ultimately replicate authoritarian structures.