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Gender Dynamics in Iranian Cinematic Adaptations of American Literature

Résidence de recherche de Zahra Nazemi (Université des Baléares, Palma de Mallorque – Espagne), du 8 au 19 juillet 2025.

 

Résumé

Au cours des dernières années, les réalisateurs du monde entier se sont de plus en plus tournés vers des œuvres littéraires à succès comme sources d’adaptation cinématographique. La littérature américaine a été particulièrement inspirante pour les adaptations, non seulement à Hollywood mais aussi dans le monde entier. Une abondance de films, de séries télévisées et même de jeux vidéo ont été produits sur la base de romans, de nouvelles et de pièces de théâtre américains (Hischak, 2012). Le cinéma iranien s’est également fortement inspiré de la littérature mondiale. Particulièrement après la Révolution islamique de 1979, des cinéastes tels que Dariush Mehrjui, Bahram Beyzai et Asghar Farhadi se sont de plus en plus inspirés de la littérature mondiale dans leur créations cinématographiques (voir Baharlou, 2016; Naficy, 2012: 265).

Abstract

In recent years, directors worldwide have increasingly turned to successful literary works as sources for cinematic adaptations. American literature has served as a particularly rich source for adaptations, not only in Hollywood but globally. An abundance of films, TV series, and even video games have been produced based on American novels, short stories, and plays (Hischak, 2012). Iranian cinema has also drawn heavily from world literature. Particularly after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, filmmakers such as Dariush Mehrjui, Bahram Beyzai, and Asghar Farhadi increasingly turned to world literature for inspiration (see Baharlou, 2016; Naficy, 2012: 265).

Report

While Iran and the USA have been political adversaries since the late 20th century, American literature has nonetheless attracted the attention of Iranian filmmakers. Since the 1970s, Iranian cinema has produced several adaptations of works by authors and playwrights such as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, John Steinbeck, J.D. Salinger, Saul Bellow, O’ Henry, and Ernest Hemingway.

Film adaptations inevitably involve transformation, not only because of the medium shift from page to screen, but also due to cultural and ideological reframing. Adapting American texts in the Iranian socio-political context requires careful negotiation of gender roles. Iranian filmmakers often reinterpret masculinity and femininity through the lens of Iranian cultural and religious codes, creating a dialogue between the source material and the local reception context.

This is particularly significant in relation to gender politics. Hutcheon argues that adaptations frequently alter gender representation, especially in transcultural settings (2013: 147). In Iranian adaptations of American works, gender identities are often reshaped to fit Iranian-Islamic moral codes and post-revolutionary socio-political realities (Mottahedeh, 2006; Naficy, 2012). Consequently, American notions of gender are redefined within a distinct Iranian framework.

My research project seeks to answer the following question: How does Iranian cinema interpret and adapt American literature, especially regarding the politics of gender?
Subsidiary questions include:

  1. How do Iranian directors indigenize cultural elements (e.g. dress codes, religion, and social interaction) when adapting American works?
  2. How are gender roles redefined in the light of Iranian historical and social structures?
  3. What similarities and differences emerge between gender representation in the American source and its Iranian adaptation?
  4. To what extent have Iranian filmmakers appropriated and reimagined American concepts of masculinity and femininity?

During my 12-day stay at the Fondation des Treilles, the peaceful environment and natural beauty provided an invaluable opportunity to focus deeply on my project. Removed from the distractions of daily academic duties, I was able to read foundational texts on gender identity and cinema, and to begin taking detailed notes on some of the films. I appreciate the foundation’s careful selection of relevant library materials prior to my stay, though I would suggest further enriching the collection with works in feminism and gender studies as well as cinema.

Beyond the intellectual resources, it was the tranquility of the setting that most enabled sustained concentration and productivity. My time at the foundation allowed me to clarify my research framework and advance both the theoretical and analytical aspects of the project. I leave with gratitude for the space, support, and inspiration the foundation provided, and I look forward to completing and publishing the results of this study.

References

Hischak, Thomas S. (2012). American literature on stage and screen: 525 works and their adaptations. McFarland & Company Inc. Publishers.

Baharlou, Abbas. (2016, July 26). The history of adaptation in the Iranian cinema I. Haft Magazine.

Baharlou, Abbas. (2016, July 27). The history of adaptation in the Iranian cinema II. Haft Magazine.

Naficy, Hamid. (2012). A social history of Iranian cinema (Vol. 4). Duke University Press.

Hutcheon, Linda. (2013). A theory of adaptation (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Mottahedeh, Negar. (2006). New Iranian cinema. In Linda Badley, R. Barton Palmer & Steven Jay Schneider (Eds.), Traditions in world cinema (pp. 176-189). Edinburg University Press.

 


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
ldiebold (22 septembre 2025). Gender Dynamics in Iranian Cinematic Adaptations of American Literature. Les carnets de la Fondation des Treilles. Consulté le 10 novembre 2025 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/14q56