A critical gaze at the image of woman in cinema: theoretical exploration of feminist film theories

Abstract

This theoretical dissertation examines theories and concepts which explore the construction of the image of Woman in Hollywood cinema. By using an imaginary scene, this paper intends to explore the ethics and implications of depiction, examine the sphere of theories related to the image of Woman, and inspect cinema’s participation in disseminating this image. The research draws from a wide range of fields, observing the connections of the theories in place rather than an in-depth look into a specific concept in cinema. This critical exploration includes broad strokes of film theories, feminist film theories, post-feminism, neoliberal feminism, with more specification on theories of objectification, surveillance, power, representation, male gaze, gender construction, femininity, female sexuality, and intersectionality.