Les miroirs de la contestation

Abstract

The 2022-2023 uprising reminded us of the role of images in Iranian protest. Whether in the recent period, since 2009, or earlier, with the advent of the Islamic Republic in 1979, images have often played a leading role, going beyond mere testimony to play a part in the unfolding of events. In this article, we would like to look back at three dates: 1979, 2009 and 2022-2023, examining the ways in which images are produced and disseminated to see if it is possible to establish a link between the nature of the protest and its visual representation. It would seem that each of these dates is linked to a particular use of media. Would the 1979 revolution have been the same without television? Can we imagine 2009 without social networks? Is the difference between 2009 and 2022-2023 simply the result of a generational change, or does it also concern the evolution of digital applications? Alongside these questions, we will try to measure the impact of cinema on news images and the way in which these, in turn, have influenced Iranian cinema.