Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

Representation of Childhood in Iranian Cinema A Case Study Of Narrative Analysis of the Movie “Technical Strike”

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
zeinab mosayyebi Bonab 1
Nuraddin Nuraddin 2
1 PhD Student, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran (Corresponding Author). Email: zeinab-mosayyebi@atu.ac.ir
2 Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran. Email: n.razavizadeh@atu.ac.ir
10.22083/jccs.2026.508921.4020
Abstract
Introduction: Cinema serves as a medium for storytelling and exploration of the social world, fulfilling a dual role in relation to social reality: it represents existing structures and relationships while also reproducing and reconstructing cultural meanings. Children’s cinema, as a segment of the film industry with its own distinct audience, holds a special significance in media studies. This importance stems not only from the sensitivity surrounding the developmental stages of child audiences but also from the theoretical complexities inherent in the concept of childhood. Childhood, as a social, historical, and cultural category, is continually subject to redefinition and reconstruction, making children’s cinema a platform for showcasing these changes. 
Studies in film criticism that utilize narratological approaches enable a deeper analysis of the semantic structures within cinematic works. In this context, Roland Barthes’ narratological theory, particularly his concept of the five codes, offers a valuable analytical tool for exploring the various layers of meaning embedded in cinematic texts. This approach allows for a simultaneous examination of narrative structures and the cultural themes present within the text.
The film “Technical Strike” exemplifies contemporary Iranian children’s cinema, addressing issues such as power relations, social patterns, and identity conflicts through the narrative of three children’s lives. From a discourse analysis perspective, this film serves as a fitting case study for investigating the representation of childhood and the processes of meaning-making in contemporary Iranian cinema. Ultimately, the cultural patterns and social structures depicted in this cinematic text have been identified and analyzed.
Methods: In qualitative research, purposive sampling is often chosen based on the purpose of the research and to achieve in-depth information. The logic of purposive sampling is to “select samples that can be studied in depth and the samples are sampled based on their content and purpose. Methodological experts are critical of the fact that in qualitative research, very few samples are sufficient (Flick, 1401: 138-141). In such research, the goal is not to generalize the results of the selected sample to the entire statistical population; rather, the researcher tries to reach a complete and comprehensive understanding of the selected sample. The sampling method in this research was “purposive” and used the opinions of experts and specialists in children’s literature and cinema.
Results: One of the aspects that shapes the semantic codes in this narrative and creates the conceptual data related to the place is the “secret language” of the characters. In such a way that the words and speech of the child characters in the narrative are far from the official language and expressions such as “Breeze to your hard”, “School boy”, “Your reception is good”, “We’ll shave your nose”, “I’m crazy”, “I’ll bet”, “What was the phase?”, “Fabric friend”, “I’m not Khadr” and... are common. The use of these words is in a way that is difficult to understand for those who are far from this space. A group of children used this type of social speech that behaved against the prevailing norms and even the external characteristics such as clothing and the type of music they listen to are different. Examining the secret language among the children in the narrative leads to understanding the hidden layers and the way they understand and perceive their own environment and others.
Discussion: This research aimed to analyze the representation of childhood in contemporary Iranian cinema, focusing on the film “Technical Strike” using Roland Barthes’ narratological method. The findings of the five-code analysis show that the representation of childhood in this cinematic work is accompanied by significant contradictions and complexities, which reflect the social and cultural developments of contemporary Iranian society and, at the same time, the continuation of traditional power structures in intergenerational relations.
The film also shows that a unified and simple childhood has become a multilayered and complex childhood. We can no longer speak of “child” in the singular, but rather we must speak of children with different experiences, social situations, and cultural capital. Mohammad, Amir, and Bijan represent three different experiences of childhood, each of which is shaped by social class, family structure, and cultural capital. This diversity in representation is a positive step toward understanding the complexities of childhood.
In response to the main question of the present study, it should be said that the world of childhood in this film is built on three main axes: first, power relations and social hierarchies that place children in unequal positions; second, competition and conflict that are represented as the main features of children’s interactions; and third, the tension between independence and subordination, where children, on the one hand, want to act independently and, on the other hand, are under the control and supervision of adults.
Keywords
Representation, Children'
s Cinema, Narratology, Childhood

Subjects

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