The Representation of Women in Iranian Popular Cinema after the Revolution (1979)

ABSTRACT: The present research looks at the representation of women in Iranian cinema after the Islamic Revolution (1979). The aim of the study is to analyze how women are represented in Iranian popular cinema and whether women have been successful in transgression from the private to the public in the last three decades in Iranian society. The theoretical framework of the research is the feminist film theory. Therefore, the research method is a combination of psychoanalysis and semiotics as the textual analysis. The post-revolutionary era in Iran has been divided into four periods, in terms of political changes: the post-revolutionary and war era (1979-1988), the Reconstruction era (1989-1996), the Reform era (1997-2004) and post-Reform era (2005-2009). Within these four eras, six films have been chosen based on the box office hit. The research shows the changes of representation of womenon the screen has been in synced with Iranian women’s successes in transgression from the private to the public. Images of women on the screen has been partially a reflection of what women do or they are trying to do in reality. At the same time their images empower contribution of women to the society. On the other hand, the research marks that although Iranian cinema represents woman characters in veil, it encourages a kind of female objectification which has increased after the reform era. Key Words: The Representation of Women, Popular Cinema, Feminist Film Theory. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………