Sexuality in HBO series and Iranian Cinema

Abstract

This work examines two notably different modes of presentation of sexuality - graphically revealing and concealingly poetic - in the cinematic visual narrative by analyzing and comparing series of the American HBO pay television network and films of the Iranian directors Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Abbas Kiarostami. The thesis intends to prove the research assumption that a greater freedom in the portrayal of sexuality leads into a stronger and more compelling narrative. The main question of the work is, does an unconcealed, visceral presentation have a significant advantage in viewer impact compared to a figurative, symbolical presentation. The work mainly focuses on finding and categorizing distinguishable visual, auditory and narrational elements, or the notable lack of them, and estimating their effect on viewer experience. A resolution to the assumption is based on the analysis of the material and research into critique in the reference literature.