Representações femininas ocidentais e orientais no filme de animação Mulan (1998) do estúdio Walt Disney

Abstract

The present work has as its object and source of research the animated film “Mulan” (1998) produced by Walt Disney Studios, based on the original chinese story “The Ballad of Mulan”. The female representations constructed in the film will be addressed through a decoupage process, considering the context in which it was produced and the fact that cinema could be used as an instrument of ideological propaganda. Therefore, a critical analysis will be carried out between the historical and social field with the cultural and cinematographic universes, highlighting their proximity and reflections. The hypothesis raised considers the presence of an orientalist discourse that stands out, which reinforces stereotypes of East Asian culture, strengthening a hegemonic social and cultural model, in which female representations present a conservative aspect, of fragility and submission. At the same time, the material was produced considering an environment of advances regarding gender, aiming to reach a mostly Western audience, so we also have transgressive and progressive female representations. Therefore, the research presents this duality of Western and Eastern female representations in the film Mulan, which influence the formation of identities.