iranian cinema

The introduction of modernity into Iranian society has been the source of profound social, cultural, and political transformations. The question of the consequences of modernity on Iranian society remains an unfinished concern. In this context, cinema has played a significant role as one of the main carriers of modernity in transferring Western values to Iranian society. From the moment cinema entered Iran, it served nationalism, modernity, and Westernization. Undoubtedly, when cinema entered the country, Iranian society was not one in a vacuum but was filled with a glorious history and deep-rooted Islamic and Iranian traditions. During the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah, Iranian cinema, supported by the Pahlavi regime, became a tool for advancing the modernization of Iranian society. The detrimental consequences of authoritative modernization and the use of cinema as a modernization tool left profound negative impacts on the structure of Islamic-Iranian identity. In this regard, the present research aims to dissect the role of cinema as a tool for modernization during the Pahlavi II era (1940-1978 AD/1320-1357 SH) using documentary methods and interviews. The central question of this research is how cinema was employed by the Pahlavi government to advance modernism in Iran. In response, it can be said that the political elites of the Pahlavi regime consciously used the power of cinema as a tool to transfer Western culture, weaken Islamic-Iranian traditions, present a modern image of Iranian society, blur public-private boundaries, promote ideology, and gain political legitimacy while constructing a unified nation-state.

Objective: This study aims to analyze and compare the representation of social harms threatening the family institution in Iranian cinema during the 1990s and 2000s. The primary objective is to explore the evolution of these representations across two decades, reflecting broader social and cultural changes in Iranian society. Methods: The research utilizes a quantitative content analysis method to systematically examine a sample of 40 Iranian films—20 from the 1990s and 20 from the 2000s. These films were selected to represent a broad cross-section of Iranian cinema. Data were collected using a structured coding sheet, focusing on the depiction of various social harms, including norm violation, lawbreaking, migration, unemployment, divorce, infidelity, delinquency, and more. The analysis was conducted using SPSS software to identify trends and shifts in the portrayal of these issues over time. Findings: The findings indicate a significant shift in the representation of social harms in Iranian cinema from the 1990s to the 2000s. In the 1990s, the most prominently depicted social harms were norm violation, lawbreaking, migration, and unemployment. By the 2000s, the focus shifted to divorce, infidelity, and delinquency, reflecting changing social dynamics and concerns in Iranian society. The study also found that while certain issues, such as violence and prostitution, remained relevant across both decades, their representation in cinema evolved, reflecting broader societal changes. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Iranian cinema serves as a crucial medium for reflecting and critiquing social issues, with the portrayal of social harms evolving in response to changing societal concerns. The findings highlight the dynamic relationship between cinema and society in Iran, with films playing a vital role in both mirroring and influencing public discourse on social issues.