Anatomy of Anti-gaze Shaping from a Feminist Perspective: The Life of the Disliked Matsuko as an Example
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This paper comprehensively analyses contemporaneous feminist cinema works in East Asia, uses the relevant theories of feminist film criticism as support, and takes Tetsuya Nakashima'The Life of the Disliked Matsuko film as the object of study to explore the existential dilemmas faced by women in the film in the context of a traditionally patriarchal society, as well as their attitudes of dependence on, and resistance to, the patriarchal system. This paper seeks to analyze the manner in which Tetsuya Nakajima's groundbreaking cinematographic language and narrative strategies depict the protagonist Matsuko Kawajiri through an anti-gaze framework. It explores the juxtaposition of her external representation and the internalized transformation of her character, as well as the profound spiritual struggles and awakenings that Matsuko experiences throughout this process. It is concluded that Tetsuya Nakajima's use of the artistic technique of anti-gaze breaks out of the male-centred model of dichotomy in the narrative, and through the portrayal of the character of Matsuko, he rejects the single-mindedness of the outside world's gaze and objectification of the female body, and endows her with the dual independence and completeness of both the body and the spirit.
Author: Yunran Chen
Institution: Tongji University
Language: English
Topic: Cinema History and Criticism
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Gender equality
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4408420134