Visualizing ideology: a visual grammar analysis of sociocultural and gender representations in the Saudi film Mandoob (Night Courier)

Ideologies are the set of personal and cultural beliefs that an individual or a group holds. Movies, albeit a means of entertainment, have the power to provide a window into the deeply rooted ideologies of different cultures. Considering recent Saudi growth in the film industry, this study aims to shed light on some of the ideological representations portrayed in the Saudi movie Mandoob (Night Courier). The research employs a qualitative data collection and analysis process using Kress and van Leeuwen’s visual grammar as a tool to examine the visual elements in the movie. A total of six scenes were collected and organized into two main categories: social practices and gender dynamics. Their analysis followed visual grammar’s three main levels of meaning: representational meaning, interactive meaning, and compositional meaning. The results showed that the movie reflected the socio-economic and cultural transformations in Saudi Arabia through the portrayal of class divisions, gender dynamics, and shifting ideologies. It also highlighted the contrast between traditional and modern values by emphasizing the roles of language, identity, and social norms.