Research Information System
Thesis Type: Postgraduate
Institution Of The Thesis: Istanbul University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Political Sciences and International Relations, Turkey
Approval Date: 2025
Thesis Language: Turkish
Student: Neslihan Silgür
Supervisor: Serpil Çakır
Abstract:
This study examines how gender is constructed and how the patriarchal system
reproduces and reinforces gender roles through production relations as well as cultural
institutions such as education, art, and mass communication, with a specific focus on
cinema as both an art form and an industry.
Cinema is analyzed as a domain where gender inequalities are both represented
and reproduced. The study explores the positions of women both in front of and behind
the camera, analyzing the male-dominated structure of the film industry through concepts
of the “male gaze” and the “celluloid ceiling.”
To understand the impact of the film industry's unequal structure on women
working behind the camera, this study examines the experiences of women employed in
"male-dominated" technical departments and their encounters with gender-based
prejudices. In this context, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 women working
in the camera department.
This study aims to contribute to understanding the manifestations of gender within
the film industry while also making visible the challenges faced by women working
behind the camera in Türkiye. Additionally, it seeks to raise awareness to empower
women and strengthen their presence in this field.
Keywords: Patriarchy, Cinema and Gender, Male Gaze, Women Behind the
Camera, Female Cinematographers, Female Camera Assistants, Glass Ceiling, Celluloid
Ceiling, Turkish Film Industry