“Reenactment” as Method: A Study on Narrative Empowerment of Postcolonial Feminism in Four Daughters
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The documentary Four Daughters by Tunisian director Kousou Ben Hania is not merely a visual exploration of family trauma but also a methodological experiment with profound theoretical awareness. Drawing on Spivak’s question, “Can the Subaltern speak?”, Foucault’s concept of “bodily discipline,” and Butler’s theory of “performativity,” the study argues that the film’s use of “reenactment” constitutes not just a narrative technique but a systematic postcolonial feminist cinematic approach. It further identifies three core mechanisms: resolving the paradox of representation through “intermediary expression,” contesting bodily sovereignty via “anti-disciplinary techniques,” and achieving “generative subject construction” through “performative practices.” Through an in-depth analysis of the film’s audiovisual language, the study demonstrates this methodology’s coherence across operational, ethical, and epistemological dimensions, while exploring its applicability to narratives involving marginalized groups and potential limitations—thus offering a responsible paradigm for knowledge production in global Southern cinema. It further reflects on how localized critical frameworks can challenge dominant Western-centric discourse in film studies, providing theoretical references for deconstructing the existing hegemony of film criticism and promoting more inclusive, pluralistic academic dialogues around transnational cinema practice.
Authors: Zhongwei Wang, Jianjun Guo
Institution: Tarim 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: W7169550664