The concept of the male gaze is often discussed in relation to films. In many movies, female characters are depicted through a male perspective, with men creating stereotypical images of women based on limited views—like the “gentle and intellectual” or “beautiful and kind” woman. As awareness of the male gaze has grown, more films have started to focus on issues like domestic violence, addressing the unequal and violent treatment of women in families. This is a positive step, as it helps raise awareness of these important issues through media. However, these films often still include problematic elements of the male gaze, particularly when it comes to uncomfortable and exploitative depictions of female suffering.
While these scenes may aim to portray the details of male violence toward women, they often end up focusing on the victim’s pain in a way that feels like visual bullying. For example, scenes depicting domestic violence or rape may emphasize the victim’s suffering, but simply highlighting pain without meaningful context doesn’t contribute to the story. In fact, such depictions can make it easier for abusers to feel a sense of pleasure or satisfaction from watching, even encouraging a voyeuristic mindset. Sometimes, these scenes even trigger abusive behavior in certain viewers.
Instead of focusing on the suffering, filmmakers could explore other aspects of the victim’s experience—like how she recovers from trauma, the support she receives, and how she overcomes her fear. The portrayal of the female victim doesn’t always advance the plot either. In many films, abused women are not the main characters, and their suffering is just there to shock the audience and add intensity to the visuals. These characters often feel like mere plot devices, their pain used to attract attention rather than to develop their story.
This insidious form of misogyny is palpable as the prosecutor and media paint Sandra not just as a potential murderer but as a woman whose independence is inherently suspicious (Kasmin Fernandes.2024)
So how can filmmakers avoid portraying women in such a harmful way?
While I don’t claim to have all the answers, there are great examples of films that handle women’s pain more sensitively. Anatomy of a Fall, for instance, tells the story of a woman whose husband dies in a fall, and she’s suspected of murder because of their troubled marriage and past violent arguments. The film focuses on the judgments she faces—from the courtroom, from her child, and even from herself. It shows how a woman, even one with social standing and a successful career, can be unfairly treated by society after her husband’s death, just because her life doesn’t fit the expected “feminine” role. This movie doesn’t rely on graphic violence but effectively captures the way society, through the male gaze and public scrutiny, can make life difficult for women. It demonstrates that there are better, more meaningful ways to show women’s suffering without resorting to exploitative scenes.
reference list:
1.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLqgK_LQKS4
2.Unpacking Oscar winner ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ from a feminist lens (April 13, 2024 ) Kasmin Fernandeshttps://kasmin.wordpress.com/2024/04/13/unpacking-the-gendered-battles-in-oscar-winner-anatomy-of-a-fall/
Hi, Xinyi
You talk about the male gaze from the movie. I agree with you very much, because most of them are male directors, they depict the character through their knowledge of women, and in fact, they do not start from the female heart. What they pursue is the picture, is the plot, but no one has ever considered the female mind. Nowadays more and more female directors begin to become famous, because in their films, women are endowed with soul, no longer weak and empty.