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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Feminine Narrative in Chinese Women's Cinema: An Narrative Analysis of Yang Lina's Female Trilogy

Zhishu Lin, Siti Aishah Binti Hj Mohammad Razi, Ling Yann Wong

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i3/24819

Open access

This research employs Hélène Cixous's theory of ecriture feminine to conduct a close reading of Yang Lina's 'Women's Trilogy', comprising Longing for the Rain (2013), Spring Tide (2019), and Song of Spring (2022). While there is a large body of literature on narrative style in cinema, the study of how female directors articulate and convey femininity through their film narratives remains relatively underexplored. It seeks to determine whether these films exhibit a narrative structure from a female perspective and to examine how the female directors convey a unique femininity through film language. This paper uses film narrative analysis to examine the narrative features that depict women's lives and the representation of female characters. The findings suggest that Yang Lina's films exemplify the manifestation of ecriture feminine through audio-visual language. By highlighting gender differences, the director weaves personal experiences into her cinematic recreations, effectively conveying a distinct female consciousness and creating nuanced, multidimensional female characters. This study will uncover the representations of femininity inherent in women's cinema by examining the implications and extensions of feminine writing. By exploring the unique observational perspectives and emotional modalities of female directors, it aims to broaden research on women's narratives in female-directed films.

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Lin, Z., Razi, S. A. B. H. M., & Wong, L. (2025). Feminine Narrative in Chinese Women’s Cinema: An Narrative Analysis of Yang Lina’s Female Trilogy. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(3), 34–47.