Women Representation in Western Films

Lim, Xyuen Yu (2022) Women Representation in Western Films. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

This study is to find out the influence of women portrayal in film towards the perceived status of women in Malaysians’ society. There are two research methods utilised in this research. The content analysis will evaluate four western films chosen from 2018 to 2020 in order to study the portrayal of women characters in western films. Meanwhile, a total of 12 respondents from age 20 - 60 were selected for two focus group sessions, with six respondents each to study their film consumption pattern, their opinion of the portrayal of women in western films and their perceptions and acceptance towards the women representation in western films. Along with thematic analysis, the raw data obtained was examined and categorised into codes and pertinent groupings of topics. By incorporating the U&G theory, the result indicates that the majority of the respondents watch films to gratify their needs of diversion, in which film appears to be a source of entertainment; needs of surveillance as film-watching helps in gaining knowledge; and needs of personal identity where films appears to correspond to the respondents’ personal tastes. Furthermore, Magic Bullet Theory and Framing Theory draw a synthesis that media is powerful that influences the mindset of the respondents where they believe that misrepresentation in films and society still exist. Future research is suggested to recruit more diverse ethnicities, respondents with married status as well as respondents with different fields of expertise in order to get a more accurate conclusion on their perception towards women status caused by women representation in Western film