Analysis of the french cinema magazine Cinemagazine (1921-1923) from the perspective of Edward Said's orientalism theory

This study analyzes the Orientalist representations in the French film magazine Cinémagazine, published between 1921 and 1923, within the framework of Edward Said's Orientalism theory. Orientalism serves as a system of representation in which the West constructs the East as exotic, mysterious, and irrational. Cinema has played a crucial role in disseminating such discourses to the masses. This research examines how Orientalist narratives were produced and circulated through film reviews, advertisements, and visual materials in Cinémagazine. The study aims to determine the extent to which the Orientalist representations in Cinémagazine align with the stereotypes identified by Said and how these representations intersect with gender, race, and colonial power dynamics. Given the rapid expansion of the film industry and the influence of media outlets on public perception during this period, the study explores how Orientalist discourses in Cinémagazine functioned as ideological tools legitimizing colonialism. By assessing how Orientalist representations were constructed and legitimized in French cinema media, this research offers an academic perspective on the reproduction of colonial ideologies within film and media discourse.