Abstract:

An analytical-comparative study of social justice-seeking in Soviet socialist realism cinema and New wave of Iranian cinema

Social justice-seeking is one of the foundational concepts of social and political thought, and across different historical, ideological, and cultural contexts it has taken on diverse definitions and formulations. In the realm of art—particularly cinema—this concept is represented not only at the level of narrative content, but also through form, visual language, and narrative structures, functioning as a discursive act in the production of meaning and the organization of social perception.

Adopting an analytical–comparative approach, the present study examines the representation of social justice-seeking in two distinct cinematic traditions: Soviet socialist realist cinema and the Iranian New Wave. It seeks to elucidate the differences and similarities between these representations in relation to their respective historical and social contexts. The research employs a qualitative methodology based on interpretive content analysis. Data were collected through documentary research and case studies of selected films: Chapaev and Mother from Soviet cinema, and Harmonica (Saz-e Dahani), Tangsir, The Deer (Gavaznha), Still Life (Tabi’at-e Bijan) and BeeHive (Kandu) from the Iranian New Wave.

The analysis is conducted within a conceptual framework that includes such indicators as the source of injustice, the agent of justice-seeking, the type of justice-oriented action, the relationship between the individual and structures of power, the horizon of possibility for the realization of justice, and the ultimate fate of the protagonist. The findings indicate that in Soviet socialist realist cinema, social justice-seeking is predominantly represented as a collective, structural, and teleological project. In this tradition, injustice is defined as a class-based and historical phenomenon, the elimination of which requires revolutionary action, collective organization, and individual sacrifice within the broader horizon of collective history. The individual acquires meaning only in relation to the historical will of the class and the ideological structure of the Party, and even the death of protagonists is interpreted as a generative moment in the ongoing realization of social justice.

In contrast, the Iranian New Wave presents an introspective and often suspended image of social justice-seeking. In this context, injustice is not portrayed as a clearly identifiable enemy, but rather as a set of everyday, faceless, erosive and in some cases symbolic mechanisms of power. Justice-seeking action frequently assumes an individual, fragile, or tragic form and sometimes with temporary triumph but without a horizon of salvation.

The study concludes that this fundamental divergence in the representation of social justice reflects two distinct conceptions of the relationship between individual and society, subject and power, and the possibility of human agency in history. It also highlights the constructed nature of the concept of justice in cinema, demonstrating its constructiveness within the historical, ideological, and aesthetic contexts of each period.

Keywords: Iranian Cinema, Social Justice-seeking, Socialist Realism, Soviet Cinema, New Wave, Justice-seeking Action

An analytical-comparative study of social justice-seeking in Soviet socialist realism cinema and New wave of Iranian cinema

Social justice-seeking is one of the foundational concepts of social and political thought, and across different historical, ideological, and cultural contexts it has taken on diverse definitions and formulations. In the realm of art—particularly cinema—this concept is represented not only at the level of narrative content, but also through form, visual language, and narrative structures, functioning as a discursive act in the production of meaning and the organization of social perception.

Adopting an analytical–comparative approach, the present study examines the representation of social justice-seeking in two distinct cinematic traditions: Soviet socialist realist cinema and the Iranian New Wave. It seeks to elucidate the differences and similarities between these representations in relation to their respective historical and social contexts. The research employs a qualitative methodology based on interpretive content analysis. Data were collected through documentary research and case studies of selected films: Chapaev and Mother from Soviet cinema, and Harmonica (Saz-e Dahani), Tangsir, The Deer (Gavaznha), Still Life (Tabi’at-e Bijan) and BeeHive (Kandu) from the Iranian New Wave.

The analysis is conducted within a conceptual framework that includes such indicators as the source of injustice, the agent of justice-seeking, the type of justice-oriented action, the relationship between the individual and structures of power, the horizon of possibility for the realization of justice, and the ultimate fate of the protagonist. The findings indicate that in Soviet socialist realist cinema, social justice-seeking is predominantly represented as a collective, structural, and teleological project. In this tradition, injustice is defined as a class-based and historical phenomenon, the elimination of which requires revolutionary action, collective organization, and individual sacrifice within the broader horizon of collective history. The individual acquires meaning only in relation to the historical will of the class and the ideological structure of the Party, and even the death of protagonists is interpreted as a generative moment in the ongoing realization of social justice.

In contrast, the Iranian New Wave presents an introspective and often suspended image of social justice-seeking. In this context, injustice is not portrayed as a clearly identifiable enemy, but rather as a set of everyday, faceless, erosive and in some cases symbolic mechanisms of power. Justice-seeking action frequently assumes an individual, fragile, or tragic form and sometimes with temporary triumph but without a horizon of salvation.

The study concludes that this fundamental divergence in the representation of social justice reflects two distinct conceptions of the relationship between individual and society, subject and power, and the possibility of human agency in history. It also highlights the constructed nature of the concept of justice in cinema, demonstrating its constructiveness within the historical, ideological, and aesthetic contexts of each period.

Keywords: Iranian Cinema, Social Justice-seeking, Socialist Realism, Soviet Cinema, New Wave, Justice-seeking Action

An analytical-comparative study of social justice-seeking in Soviet socialist realism cinema and New wave of Iranian cinema

Social justice-seeking is one of the foundational concepts of social and political thought, and across different historical, ideological, and cultural contexts it has taken on diverse definitions and formulations. In the realm of art—particularly cinema—this concept is represented not only at the level of narrative content, but also through form, visual language, and narrative structures, functioning as a discursive act in the production of meaning and the organization of social perception.

Adopting an analytical–comparative approach, the present study examines the representation of social justice-seeking in two distinct cinematic traditions: Soviet socialist realist cinema and the Iranian New Wave. It seeks to elucidate the differences and similarities between these representations in relation to their respective historical and social contexts. The research employs a qualitative methodology based on interpretive content analysis. Data were collected through documentary research and case studies of selected films: Chapaev and Mother from Soviet cinema, and Harmonica (Saz-e Dahani), Tangsir, The Deer (Gavaznha), Still Life (Tabi’at-e Bijan) and BeeHive (Kandu) from the Iranian New Wave.

The analysis is conducted within a conceptual framework that includes such indicators as the source of injustice, the agent of justice-seeking, the type of justice-oriented action, the relationship between the individual and structures of power, the horizon of possibility for the realization of justice, and the ultimate fate of the protagonist. The findings indicate that in Soviet socialist realist cinema, social justice-seeking is predominantly represented as a collective, structural, and teleological project. In this tradition, injustice is defined as a class-based and historical phenomenon, the elimination of which requires revolutionary action, collective organization, and individual sacrifice within the broader horizon of collective history. The individual acquires meaning only in relation to the historical will of the class and the ideological structure of the Party, and even the death of protagonists is interpreted as a generative moment in the ongoing realization of social justice.

In contrast, the Iranian New Wave presents an introspective and often suspended image of social justice-seeking. In this context, injustice is not portrayed as a clearly identifiable enemy, but rather as a set of everyday, faceless, erosive and in some cases symbolic mechanisms of power. Justice-seeking action frequently assumes an individual, fragile, or tragic form and sometimes with temporary triumph but without a horizon of salvation.

The study concludes that this fundamental divergence in the representation of social justice reflects two distinct conceptions of the relationship between individual and society, subject and power, and the possibility of human agency in history. It also highlights the constructed nature of the concept of justice in cinema, demonstrating its constructiveness within the historical, ideological, and aesthetic contexts of each period.

Keywords: Iranian Cinema, Social Justice-seeking, Socialist Realism, Soviet Cinema, New Wave, Justice-seeking Action