Abstract
In the 1960s and 1970s, a new generation of Iranian filmmakers initiated a movement inspired by Italian Neorealism and the French New Wave, later known as the New Wave of Iranian cinema. This article aims not only to explore the socio-political context of its emergence but also to examine how this cinematic trend influenced Iran’s political culture during that period. Cinema is approached here as a cultural mediator capable of symbolizing and reflecting political and social realities, thereby raising public awareness. The findings reveal that the new wave significantly contributed to a growing collective self-awareness among audiences. Through symbolic language and narrative, it challenged the dominant political narratives and introduced critical themes into public discourse. The continuity of this movement in post-revolutionary cinema further attests to its transformative impact. Methodologically, this study relies on library-based sources and the semiotic analysis of selected films, offering a descriptive-analytical account of cinema’s role in shaping Iran’s evolving political culture.
Keywords: Iranian New Wave Cinema, Political Culture, Symbolic Representation, Cultural Transformation, Semiotic Analysis.
 
Introduction
The New Wave of Iranian cinema represents a major intellectual and artistic movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. Influenced by global cinematic currents such as Italian Neorealism and the French New Wave, this movement sought to break away from the escapist and commercial tendencies of Film Farsi, which dominated Iranian screens at the time. The new generation of filmmakers aimed to turn cinema into a reflective mirror of society, capturing the real struggles, contradictions, and injustices prevalent during the Pahlavi regime. This movement positioned cinema as a potent cultural apparatus, capable of both documenting and shaping public consciousness through symbolism, social realism, and political subtext. Central to this movement was a commitment to revealing hidden dimensions of Iranian life: class disparity, gender discrimination, the clash between tradition and modernity, and political repression. This was especially significant in the pre-revolutionary period when conventional media were tightly controlled. Films produced during this wave often used metaphorical and allegorical forms to evade censorship while still transmitting profound sociopolitical messages. In this sense, New Wave cinema is considered a form of symbolic resistance, contributing not only to cinematic innovation but also to the gradual reshaping of Iran’s political culture.
 
Materials & Methods
The research adopts a qualitative, descriptive-analytical methodology, combining literature review with semiotic analysis of selected cinematic texts. The primary data were gathered through extensive review of secondary sources, including scholarly articles, books, and historical documents on Iranian cinema and political culture. The core of the analysis, however, lies in the semiotic deconstruction of iconic films from the New Wave era. By applying tools from film semiotics, such as the analysis of visual codes, narrative structures, character archetypes, and symbolic imagery, the study deciphers how political ideas were encoded and transmitted to viewers. This methodological framework enables an exploration not just of what the films depicted but how they conveyed their messages — particularly within a censored political environment. Films by directors such as Dariush Mehrjui, Sohrab Shahid Saless, and Bahram Bayzai are central to the study, given their prominent roles in shaping the thematic and aesthetic contours of the new wave.
 
Discussion & Result
The research findings underscore that the New Wave functioned as a cultural rupture, challenging the dominant narratives propagated by state media and commercial cinema. Despite strict censorship, filmmakers succeeded in embedding critiques of social and political conditions into cinematic language. The emergence of symbolic storytelling — including metaphors for authoritarianism, gender roles, alienation, and class conflict — helped audiences interpret their own realities in more complex ways. One of the most notable contributions of the New Wave was its role in broadening public engagement with political culture. By incorporating themes such as civic responsibility, state legitimacy, freedom, and identity, the films offered alternative frameworks for interpreting power relations and social dynamics. As such, the cinema became both an educational and mobilizing force, fostering a form of cultural literacy that emphasized critical reflection and political imagination. Furthermore, the New Wave had a sustained influence on the post-revolutionary Iranian cinema, which continued to address social themes with greater freedom and intensity. In this sense, the impact of the New Wave is best understood not merely in terms of its immediate reception but in how it paved the way for more politically conscious filmmaking in subsequent decades.
 
Conclusion
While the New Wave did not lead to immediate political transformation, it played a foundational role in the evolution of political culture in Iran. Through its innovative use of cinematic language, it helped shape a critical and reflective public sphere. However, due to censorship and limited distribution, its influence remained largely confined to intellectual circles during the 1960s and 1970s. The full significance of the New Wave became more evident after the Islamic Revolution, when Iranian cinema entered a new era of engagement with social and political themes. Many filmmakers who emerged after 1979 drew inspiration from the New Wave’s legacy, continuing its tradition of symbolically charged storytelling and social critique. Ultimately, this movement stands as a testament to the power of art and culture to act as subtle yet persistent forces in shaping national consciousness and political evolution.