The role of cinema in constructing cultural memory and historical consciousness: The representation of North African soldiers in World War II cinema

This study examines how cinema's representational function shapes cultural memory. Rather than viewing cinema as merely a passive visual record of the outside world, it proposes that cinema is an active force that influences the formation of cultural memory. Although film theorists such as André Bazin have placed cinema at the forefront of realistic art forms due to its capacity to provide direct photographic recordings, researchers such as Stuart Hall have emphasized that media messages are constructed within cultural and ideological frameworks to convey particular meanings. As a form of media, cinema produces messages within this framework, doing more than simply representing reality. From the cultural memory perspective, cinema acts as an archive of the past, transforming it into a historical perception through media representation. This study uses a qualitative content analysis method to examine the representation of North African soldiers in Second World War films and the shaping of cultural memory in this context. The study's findings reveal two main aspects of cinematic representation of North African soldiers in the context of the Second World War: the first provides recognition and visibility. In contrast, the second opens the door to erasure from cultural memory. Influenced by ideological and cultural factors, these representations either reinforce or challenge dominant Western narratives through counter-memory.