THE INTEGRATION OF SYMBOLIC VIOLENCE INTO FEMINIST FILM THEORY: MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE

This paper lies within the theoretical framework of Feminist Film Theory. It studies the way in which cinema, as an ideological apparatus, articulates messages of violence that sustain male domination. We will first introduce the different objectives and methodological approaches that constitute Feminist Film Theory as of its birth in the 1970's. A brief approach to the characteristics of symbolic violence (as defined by Pierre Bordieu) will follow, identifying the connections of this violence to Feminist Film Theory. The presence of symbolic violence in audiovisual texts is thus explored as an ideological tool to uphold gender mandates and its potential application as an analytical category. We also suggest the need to incorporate a feminist audiovisual education into didactic programs. As a conclusion, we delve into the feminine role within the dominant social structure and offer some tools to fight symbolic violence.