This study examines the representation of shame and guilt associated with women in Iranian cinema from the late 20th to the early 21st centuries: the Pahlavi Era (1925-1979), Islamic Revolution (1979), Iraq-Iran War (1980-1988), Reconstruction (1989-1997), and Reform (1997-2005) eras. Employing a Foucauldian lens, the research investigates how these concepts have been constructed and regulated through cinematic narratives.

Iranian cinema has consistently intertwined themes of shame and guilt with women’s narratives. Before the Revolution, women were often portrayed as objects of desire. In Post-Revolution Iran, women assumed selfless roles, but the guilt of deserting wives or mothers was deemed unforgivable. The Reconstruction Era introduced more complex female characters, though women’s voices remained limited. The Reform Era brought changes, with women securing controversial roles and unorthodox topics emerging on the silver screen. It is concluded that Iranian cinema, regardless of its intent, is intrinsically linked to notions of guilt and shame when addressing women’s issues. This pervasive guilt illuminates the duality of victims and victimizers, the failures of social justice and moral authority, and the relativity of dignity and honor in Iranian culture.