Cinematic Narratives of I /Thou Interaction in Social Space

This article reflects on I/thou interaction in the social space through the lens of Iranian cinema in two past decades. According to Simmel, Bakhtin and Habermas social theories, I/thou interaction is a social construct which changes in accordance with the openness (closure), productivity (sterility) and richness (emptiness) of the social world. Another idea here is that cinema is a useful medium for perceiving the complexities of the social world. Using theoretical-purposeful sampling, we chose three films: Ajanse shishei, Zire Puste Shahr and Butik. These films have been analyzed via narrative/semiotic analysis. The findings show that in the open and productive social space of early reformation era, which is represented in Ajanse shishei, I/thou interaction is completely different from the kind of social interaction that prevailed in late reformation era, as represented in Butik. Zire Puste Shahr represents the tragic nature of life for the poor, but at the same time shows openness and dynamism inherent in their everyday life.