Representation of the "Resistance-Negotiation Duality" in Iranian Cinema During Ahmadinejad's Presidency: A Semiotic Analysis of the Film Che
Subject Areas : Iranian Sociological Review
1 - PhD student in Communication Sciences, University of Tehran
Keywords: Resistance, Negotiation, Iranian Cinema, Political Discourse, Semiotics,
Abstract :
This study analyzes the representation of the resistance-negotiation duality in Iranian cinema, focusing on the film Che directed by Ebrahim Hatamikia. During Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, the tension between resistance discourse and negotiation discourse in Iran's foreign policy, particularly regarding the nuclear issue, reached its peak. This research employs structuralist semiotics and Fiske's tripartite code system (social codes, representational codes, and ideological codes) to analyze three key sequences from the film. The research findings demonstrate that Hatamikia, through his sophisticated characterization of Chamran and Vesali, represents the resistance-negotiation duality not as two contradictory approaches, but as two complementary strategies within a unified national front. By linking the historical event of Paveh to Iran's contemporary circumstances, the film symbolically reconstructs the nuclear crisis, international sanctions, and regional tensions. This research shows that cinema can function beyond merely reflecting political discourses, serving as a space for producing alternative and moderate discourses, and while preserving revolutionary values, it can promote a rational and pragmatic approach.
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