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A. Rani Usman, Ahmad Fauzan, Azman Sulaiman 1,2,3Postgraduate Islamic Communication and Broadcasting Study Program of UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. Audio-visual or film is one of the strategic means of intercultural communication. Films are often used as a medium of propaganda for partisan and partial political interests, leading to misunderstandings of a culture. The destruction of a nation's cultural meanings and values always involves audio-visual media to create psychological effects in building opinion and mobilizing the masses. Iran and its culture are the victims of world misunderstanding. However, the films directed by Iranian filmmakers have opened a „cultural dialogue‟ with dignity and in an artistic manner. This study aimed to examine Iranian cultural communication patterns through cinema and identify Iranian cultural symbols that influence cultural communication. This research used Symbol and Value Theory. Symbols and values influence political and cultural campaigns. This research employed the Gestalt method that involved descriptive coding of sentences and images and recording of contents. Through Gestalt, we can interpret the meaning and behavior displayed by humans in certain situations. The films „Children of Heaven‟, „Color of Paradise,‟ and „Baran' directed by Majid Majidi, communicate essential aspects of Iranian culture, showing the spirit of resilience of Iranian society today, which is rarely included in the news due to global politics. The representation of Iranian culture is presented in very natural and simple ways without using visual effects. The reproduction of Iranian culture in the three films above uses a measured, intense, and substantive approach and shooting angle. The spirit of Sufism was reflected in the production process and the Iranian cinematic contents. Keywords : Cultural Communication, Audio-visual Media, Iranian Films

INTRODUCTION bridge to narrow the ambiguity by describing, interpreting, and The film is a medium for predicting actors' behavior in other creating social and cultural changes cultures to create meaningful in society. This audio-visual media interactions. In intercultural provides a clear and broad picture of communication, we try to maximize many aspects of culture from interaction results. The consequences anywhere in the world. Films can discussed by Sunnafrank (1989) hint also present the reality, ideas, at important implications for thoughts of the characters, and intercultural communication. For cultural signs in stories compressed example, people will interact with into various durations and screens. other people whom they think will The principle of cultural give positive results. Because communication, one of which is to intercultural communication is reduce uncertainty from cultural difficult, we may avoid it. Moreover, differences. Verbal and non-verbal when we get positive results, we communication then becomes a

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 continue to engage and improve films. Iran itself has produced films communication quality, whereas if that are worldwide but has its we get negative results, we start to paradigm in the development of the withdraw and reduce film. communication. Previous studies of Iranian As the heir to the old Persian films have not been done much. One civilization, Iran has been considered of the few was done by Wildan Hanif a closed country due to the (2017) in his journal article entitled "Western" world's mass media Semiotic Analysis of Iranian Films representation. Films and by Majid Majidi; Children of mainstream media productions Heaven, Color of Paradise, and distributed throughout the world Baran. The article's explanation always shut down any information discusses the meaning of images on Iran's cultural communication. from a semiotic perspective only and After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, finds many visual language Iran was more symbolized as an meanings in several sequences taken Islamic state that threatened from the three films. There is no superpowers in controlling the detailed explanation of the cultural world's economic resources. This communication produced by each of reality is exacerbated by the Sunni- the shooting models. Other research Shia conflict institutionalized in the has been conducted by Sigit history of Islamic politics and Nurwicaksono (2009) in his thesis reproduced by the media, including entitled Construction of the Islamic films that have circulated even to Revolution in Iran in the Film Sunni-Muslim-majority countries, Persepolis. The research focuses on such as Indonesia. academic exploration only from a There are many negative film by an Iranian feminist, Marjana images produced by the mainstream Satrapi, who critically challenged the media towards Iran, even though Iran meaning of revolution through a is an Islamic country. So that with popular film among European and the image and the difference between American film enthusiasts and Sunni and Shi'a, it creates mental observers but was banned in conflict and ideology against Iran, Iran. However, the study of films especially Sunni Islam. There are related to spirituality and ethos in many similarities and positives from films is minimal; this is where the Islamic countries that are not utilized significance lies. in Islamic-based countries, like The three Iranian films that Indonesia, in developing the country. got top achievements at several The film is a medium of international film festivals show cultural manifestation of a country. another side of Iran's daily culture Various propaganda and promotion that is very far from what the mass can be done through film. From media or “western” films represent. cultural, educational, political, Complex cultural communication security, and economic life, it can be problems can be solved through seen how a country produces its cinematic communication. The film

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 world has finally become a space for public broadcasts (Kaid, 2015: 76). intensive and systematic cultural Gestalt coding records the entire dialogue to understand world audio-visual display and its meaning cultures. Based on the background of rather than separately analyzing the the problem above, the researcher visual and verbal details. This coding focuses on studying Iranian-Persian is oriented to the meaning conveyed cultural communication that is to the average audience member by reproduced through audio-visual broadcasts, rather than detecting any media (film) and examines Iranian- content of information in an audio- Persian culture's symbols and codes visual message (Kaid, 2015: 76-77). reconstructed in audio-visual media Detecting gestalt for coding relies on (film). verbal leads or images that identify a particular person, location, or situation. This method is considered Research Theory suitable to reveal the meaning of the Messages in audio-visual film understudy. media provide deep meaning to Sources of research data viewers because the meaning can be come from three Iranian films, seen immediately and accompanied namely Children of Heaven, Color of by spoken words to give a deep Paradise, and Baran, the most impression to listeners and viewers. superior cinematic works of the The guide in this article uses Symbol famous Iranian director, Majid and Value theory. According to Majidi. The three films' picture Newman and Perloff, symbols are frames are directly dissected by political material and attraction looking at the author's story based on symbols and values, structure. Several other films by the arguably the most influential of all same director will also be major campaign messages (Kaid, 2015,37). comparators looking for new This film's symbolic approach is the possibilities in communication. director's creations produced through Secondary data sources for spoken words and accompanied by research rely on books, scientific images representing Persian religious papers in journals, online pages culture and wrapped in Persian (websites) that have reviewed these culture that is thick with a high films, and those related to cinematic cultural ethos by displaying communication studies. 1) Literature children's dreams of reaching their study, where researchers will collect future. a number of written documents, both in the form of books, films, and other Research Method scientific notes that support The method used in academic exploration in the context examining this film is Gestalt of cultural communication in the coding. According to Graber (2001), cinema. 2) Field studies will be used Gestalt is a middle way between as carefully and efficiently as descriptive coding of sentences and possible in interviews with several images and recording extensive film observers and workers.

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 Selection of figures will be carried Since then, he has self- out by selection based on criteria to written and directed many acclaimed answer the problems that exist in the films that have won awards research. worldwide. His most notable work is The messages in film pictures Children of Heaven (1997), winner full of cultural codes and social of the Best Picture award at the symbolism are then dissected with a Montreal International Film Festival Gestalt approach. The breakdown of and nominated for Best Foreign film metaphors about Iranian culture Language Film at the Academy will significantly determine the Awards in 1998. Then he directed process of extracting the meaning the film The Color of Paradise conveyed. The results of the analysis (1999), which also won the Best will be presented comprehensively to Film award from the Montreal conclude. Furthermore, this data International Film Festival that set analysis activity includes five stages: new box-office records for Asian first, establish a research focus; films. Baran (2001) won several second, compile preliminary findings major awards worldwide, especially based on existing data; third, make the Best Film award at the 25th plans for the next collection; fourth, Montreal World Film Festival, and develop analytical questions for received a nomination for the further research; and fifth, European Film Academy Award. determination of data collection In 2001, during the anti- targets. Taliban war in Afghanistan, he produced Barefoot to Herat (2003), Research result an emotional documentary about Majid Majidi was born on Afghan refugee camps that won the April 17, 1959, in Tehran, Iran, into Fipresci Award at the Thessaloniki a middle-class family. At the age of International Film Festival. He has 14, he began acting in an amateur also received the Douglas Sirk Prize theater troupe. After graduating from in 2001 and the Amici Vittorio de high school, he studied art at the Sica Award in 2003. In 2005 he Institute of Dramatic Arts in Tehran. directed The Willow Tree, a film After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, about a blind man who falls in love he became interested in cinema, with someone other than his wife which led him to act in various films, when he recovers and can see again. especially Mohsen Makhmalbaf's The film won four awards at the Boycott (1986). Then he began 2005 International Fajr (Dawn) Film writing and directing short films. His Festival in Tehran. He is one of the feature film and the directorial debut most influential directors in Iran, and were marked by Baduk (1992), his films have a simple and poetic which was screened in Quinzaine of impression in them Cannes and won an award at the http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006 International Fajr (Dawn) Film 498/bio accessed on September 23, Festival 2019).

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 In 2008 his film entitled The When he stopped for a moment to Song of Sparrows was awarded as buy fruit, vegetables, and some the opening film at the kebabs for food at home, he left the Visakhapatnam International Film bag filled with shoes outside. A flea Festival in India. Apart from picker mistakenly threw it on his cart international recognition from film and left. Ali is desperate. He came workers, Majid Majidi also received home to find his mother arguing with recognition from the government at the rental house owner because he home and abroad. One of them was was three months in arrears. from the Chinese government who The emphasis on the high angle shot invited him to produce a short (Figure 1) explains the interaction documentary film to introduce space of the middle to lower class Beijing for the Summer Olympics of people who seem “dwarfed” mixed 2008. At the Danish Film Festival, with flour sacks and kebab-burner Majidi protested by withdrawing his kitchen as a staple culinary marker of film from the festival in protest at the society. The dominance of the white cartoon insulting the Prophet color of the object's clothes Muhammad by a Danish citizen accentuates the simplicity, even (https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/majid_ though it is not a deep sanctity so majidi, accessed on September 23, that the rhythm of everyday life 2019). without burden can be felt. The 1. Children of Heaven image form used is a full shot that After struggling for a long incorporates all important elements time, almost 20 years, in producing and objects into the camera frame. short films and documentaries, Majid The director aims to show the typical Majidi's second feature film entitled Iranian bakery process, from Children of Heaven or in Persian kneading dough and make it into called Bacheha-ye Aseman received some big doughs that are then pulled the most prestigious award in the lengthwise on a kind of pillow and world as the nominee for the best baked in a hot stove under the floor. foreign-language film in America. Ali became more focused as a buyer The recognition of the world's film because of his clothes' color and his people seems to send a message to movements in wrapping the kebabs. the American government that the beauty of the language and symbolism of a film is greater and nobler than the pressure of foreign policy on Iran since Khomeini's Islamic revolution. This film tells the story of children among the poor in Iran. Ali, the son of a tea maker at major Islamic events, lost a shoe belonging Figure 1 to Zahra, his younger sister who had just been taken from a shoemaker.

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 After Ali told her about the loss, fashioned television, and a typical Zahra burst into tears and asked how Persian teapot, plus a mattress she could go to school without shoes. propped against the wall, is a sign of Ali returned to the shop and roamed the cramped neighborhood of rented the streets looking for shoes. When housing. It becomes a depiction of a she returned home again, she found slow country or maybe refuses to her father angry with her for not respond to modern developments helping her mother. His father told that are happening out there. him he was no longer a child; at nine The choice of dark colors is years old, he already has to help his not conspicuous and acts as a layer parents, not just to play. Their of meaning for happiness, even mother is pregnant, and the father though it is a little gloomy. As the does not like the cesarean section main cultural value of every social plan. Meanwhile, his two children community, Solidarity is represented pretend to be studying even though in a close-up of a pair of hands when they exchange messages through Ali shares his pencil because Zahra's writing in books about what to do pencil broke. Ali intends that tomorrow. Ali begged Zahra not to communication and negotiation on tell his father because he certainly paper and writing about the lost shoe did not have money to buy new case can go on to completion and at shoes. the same time calm Zahra's heart, which is plagued by gloom. Ali has an idea: since they both go to school at different times, Zahra can wear her sneakers in the morning, and then Ali can wear the same shoes to school in the afternoon. Every time she came home from school, the girl ran fast. However, Ali was always late for her Figure 2 class. And so on. This fact made Zahra's study concentration tense Interior is essential in a film. because she had to finish all Cinematographically, a scene's assignments and exams before setting is not merely decoration returning home. Three shot shooting without meaning, but it has an patterns are usually used as emotional connection to the story comparisons between characters in a and the characters in it. Ali's house scene. The costume model of high (Picture 2) emphasizes culture in school students is left to indicate that Iranian homes where tapestries are there is no legal burden on them wall decorations and even floor unless they are adults as the clothes coverings. The room's composition of teachers who are already obliged in the form of dense, full shot to pay more attention to the side of images, dull furnishings, old- Islamic law. Even though they are equally dark, the teacher-student

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 composition in a group shot with sneakers. Since Ali runs every day to different colors of costumes shows get to school on time, he must be high respect for the teacher's very prepared and in great shape to dedication. race. This was a golden opportunity, Zahra follows the girl in the and Ali convinced his sports teacher shoes after school between the that he would become champion narrow alleys of the shabby city. even though he was initially rejected Unfortunately, she was late returning because the selection deadline was home, and his brother Ali was late over. Sure enough, he won the race. again for school. The principal However, he did not want to win first wanted to send him home, but the place. He just wanted to get third teacher happened to be nearby and place. He almost cried when he was vouched for the child. Ali raises his given the gold medal and first winner hand with the index finger up as a trophy. His sneakers had been symbol of apology to the teacher or completely crushed, and his feet parent. After school, then Zahra took were bleeding. He informed his sister Ali to the house where her pink that he had not succeeded in getting shoes were. They saw the child's new shoes. However, the father, father was blind and could not bear elsewhere, is already buying a new to ask for the shoes. pair of shoes for each child. Over the weekend, Ali's The shooting angle of top father had an idea to find a new job: angle and a long shot is like a "bird's a gardener. He took Ali while riding eye view" at the end of the film after a bicycle to an elite residential Ali sits down and is left alone by complex. Traveling long distances on Zahra by the edge of a round pool, a bicycle together is a tough one. The quite representing a disappointment. father is a tough man who dares to There was a hope that did not come challenge a big city with all the true (to get shoes) because Ali was complications commensurate with very kind and smart and the fastest in big cities' intricate overpass. The running competitions. Two composition of the extreme-long contrasting realities are wrapped and shot, coupled with the sound of a linked in the pool water and Ali's gasping breath, will make it easier to clothes' blue color. He wanted to say convey the message not to give up that silence was religious. The scene until the goals are achieved. The of dipping his feet in the water message of cultural diplomacy is conveyed that his bruised feet had very obvious and seems to have high led him to become class champion hopes for openness to incoming and race champion. Even though the foreign products. This happened main hope of getting new shoes was during the billboards' high angle shot not achieved, all was not in vain. The along the road that Ali and his father fish then give meaning to an passed. unambitious struggle with a happy One day at school, Ali heard resplendent color. the announcement of a running race with the third prize for a pair of 2. Color of Paradise

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 The conceptual depiction of a On the way home, father took typical Iranian cultural Muhammad to a tapestry shop communication is also contained in because he wanted to sell something. the second film in this discussion, The medium shot in the composition Color of Paradise. This film is about of three shots and Muhammad's blue a blind child named Muhammad, a costume made him the center of the student at a school for children with story in a colorful Persian culture disabilities. He learned to read that he could not witness even Braille. School is over, and the kids though he was delighted, cheerful, are dressed up and packing up. Their and full of warmth. He seemed to parents came to pick them up— enjoy the atmosphere as if he could everyone except Muhammad's father. "see." The father took the boy back The teacher tried to convince home on a long trip through the Muhammad, who felt abandoned. countryside. They live in a village While he waited, Muhammad played surrounded by green hills. The boy in the garden. He found a young bird was happy to be back home. Even that had fallen from its nest. though she could not see, she started Muhammad climbed the tree and running towards the house and was returned the bird to the nest. His very happy to hug her grandmother. fingers were always touching The little sisters were also happy to something like he was reading a see him, and they took him to the Braille message on everything. The farm, where their grandmother father had arrived and watched the worked. The green village nature and boy in silence. Then he walked into full of greenness in the arrangement the school and begged the teacher to of the extra-long shot image that look after the child because he did places the object right in the middle not have time to care for him, and his of the image composition is a simple mother had died. The teacher form to explain the universe of explains that the school is now natural thoughts in the film story. closed and that no one can help him The characters are on a straight path solve his personal problems. to reach that thought. An agricultural village's landscape is different from a fishing village that is always hit by sea breezes and heat. The panorama by taking a horizontal line between the fields and the forest at the mountain's foot is strong color contrast. The extreme-long shot creates the spatial dimension as if it confirms the union of two loves: grandmother and Figure 3 grandchild. A universal culture that cannot be rejected anywhere in the world. Muhammad enjoyed his vacation. He listens to woodpeckers,

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 his fingertips always touch objects, with other men. They camped in a and of course, he played in the fields nearby forest. The child plays with with his sister. the sand and talks to the seagulls. At When his sisters went to school, he night, the father saw Muhammad cried because she wanted to go with going in the wrong direction and did them, and his grandmother begged not stop him. He let it be, so he got the teacher to take him. The teacher hurt. Again, he heard a loud voice. It greeted him humbly and was is like nature's warning to him. Then surprised to learn that Muhammad someone brought the child back. could read better than other children. His wonderful life with his They all looked over Muhammad's grandmother ended when his father shoulder while his fingers scanned took him on another long journey, the Braille text. The culture of this time to a blind carpenter who religiosity is again displayed by would train him in the profession. Majid Majidi in a rhythmic scene The boy was finally able to confess when Muhammad wants to pray his mood to someone who among the flowers' cheerful colors understood him. Muhammad knew boiled for dye cloth. The high angle that society avoided him, and his image composition shows a sense of only comfort was that he could feel solemnity and humility in the self God in everything with his and the human spirit before Him who fingertips. is Most High. The balanced layout of Upon returning to his the players fills the depth of the mother's house, the father saw the camera frame to complement the look of hostility from his mother. In solemnity of humans in the mortal vain, he explained that he was a world (Figure 4). lonely man and that it was the tragedy of his life. He delivered a marriage proposal to the prospective in-law‟s house. The cultural depiction of drinking hot tea on a plate when served at his future wife's house shows the similarity of traditions in several Asian countries. Likewise, the tablecloth's colors on the wall show a sign of happiness, Figure 4 although it is a little gloomy. The composition of the windows and Despite Muhammad's curtains behind the object gives the success, the father became furious impression of an incomplete when he found out that Muhammad proposal process, which hinder was taken to school. He decided to marriage. take her away from grandma. So, the Then he found his old mother son has to follow the father to the walking out of the house in the rain beach, where the father is employed and leaving the farm village. The man chases her and convinces her to

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 come back. Mother returned home Water became the symbolism of but would not talk anymore, just mortality. Water is the beginning and prayed in bed. When the father end of life. offered to bring the child back, the mother told him that she was not 3. Baran worried about Muhammad but In this discussion, the third worried for the father. Then his film entitled Baran tells the story of mother died. This was considered a illegal workers from Afghanistan on bad omen, and after the funeral, the a construction project in the corner engagement was canceled, and the of Tehran city. A young man is marriage failed. waiting in line to buy kebabs. Latif, a The man must continue living public kitchen worker for the alone. He went to get Muhammad, construction project, is buying and the boy was not happy to see kebabs. After getting the kebabs, he him. There was another loud voice. entered the grocery store to buy The two of them travel back to the cigarettes, sugar, tea powder, and village on horses, in a landscape some kitchen necessities. He handed shrouded in mist. While crossing the an ID card to delay payment, and it bridge, it collapsed, and the horse will be paid at the beginning of each and Muhammad fell into the water. month by his employer. The shop The father's anxiety seems primarily owner is angry because it has been a to the horse, but he realizes that the while since the debt has been paid child is being carried by the currents. off, while the daily picking of goods The man jumps on the rapids and never stops. slides down, chasing his son in vain. Extreme close-ups during the The man wakes up on the beach. Her kebab-burning process at the son's body is nearby. The father cried beginning of the film are always as he hugged his son's dead body. It Majid Majidi's opening menu to can be seen that the fingertips are emphasize what is important in every still moving as if the child is reading activity of the urban poor and, of something in the air. course, the most distinctive cultural In this film, Majid Majidi mark of Central and West Asia. also uses water at the end of the An incident occurred in the story, like in the film Children of middle of a multi-story building Heaven. However, this time, it is not project activity. Najaf, an illegal water that soothes and gives peace, laborer from Afghanistan, fell from but which swallows the loneliness of the floor above while working and a child who does not get attention broke his leg. The employer or from his father in the world so that foreman was surprised and rushed to he always hopes to meet God. The rescue him by directing some other mystical tradition of Islam or Sufism workers to carry him to the car and is very sharply exposed in this film take him to the nearest hospital. He so that the opening of this film finds is worried that Iranian security will the truth: "You are in two arrest and deport Najaf to dimensions; seeing and not seeing. " Afghanistan. The level of refugees

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 due to the war in Afghanistan has above and hit a worker below. Then peaked, and they have chosen Iran to several times unable to carry find work and occupy the slum sandbags. The foreman is settlements on the outskirts of disappointed and wants to fire Tehran. Most of them work as Rahmat. He then is offered to work manual laborers in building or in the soup kitchen in place of Latif. transporting river stones. If that does not work either, the The next day, Sultan, a foreman will fire him. Of course, this neighbor of Najaf who is also fact made Latif furious and angry. working on a construction project, He must return to work hard like brought someone named Rahmat, other workers: stir the cement, perhaps Najaf's son, as the Sultan smooth the stones, and bring the confessed to the foreman, to replace cement to the top floor. Najaf to work there. The foreman Latif's anger at losing his job received a two-day probation period. is expressed by destroying all the Latif looked at all of this with a furniture and cooking utensils. He cynical, disturbed look. He likes to was envious because the drinks and save money left over from groceries food that Rahmat cooked were tastier or those found on the street and than what he had made before. The keeps a piggy bank in a stone wall. workers praised and felt that it was The daily money is held by the only now that they truly enjoyed foreman and will be given later when properly prepared food. Latif then he has accumulated a lot. It may also finds out who Rahmat is by sneaking be why Latif is irritable and into the kitchen all the time. At one temperamental when dealing with moment, when he was about to pick anyone he does not like. up bags of cement that had been Conflict becomes part of the piled up in front of the soup kitchen, culture of the poor due to differences he was suddenly stunned to see that of opinion or violence between from behind the curtain, someone immigrants. The fire placement in was combing her hair while singing a the frame of a full shot camera in the song. Latif was curious and middle of a fight in the building approached. He looked from behind complex reinforces the rioters' mood. the glass of a woman with a comb in It will be different if the fire is her hand. positioned in the context of two The process of composing a lovebirds who are in love. The dark silhouette image is the strongest atmosphere was mixed with mortar symbolism to cover a woman's body ash, the sun shining through the in a film. Iranian films never show walls, and the workers' commotion an innocent woman's body without a breaking up the fight. The image of headscarf or headscarf. Creative masculinity is perfect. directors will look for artistic After working for two days possibilities to express that visually. on the project, Rahmat made many It becomes the most beautiful mistakes that hurt the other workers. composition in this film. From He dropped cement from the floor outside the window framed with

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 white cement made by Rahmat, the to touch their hands. It is another balance between brown cloth, symbolism to convey the embers of flowers, and a lamp is placed as a Latif's love in the wrapping of his marker. visual language is enough to red dress. Latif's prominent face in be a sign of tenderness, compassion, the medium shot camera that cuts and purity as light in achieving the Rahmat's face wants to reaffirm this film's dramatic story. (Figure 5) in film's masculinity. some cases, cultural communication One day Rahmat came home is most effective using a silhouetted from shopping in the city. He came point of view to explain things that across Iranian security forces who are not visible. For example, had just searched the entire building depictions of saints and figures of for any Afghan migrant workers. political crime victims would be During the last questioning, the threatened if their faces were shown. foreman managed to save them by driving them to hide anywhere not to be caught. Rahmat could not answer when asked in Farsi and ran, throwing the food package on his shoulder. Iranian police officers are chasing Rahmat. Latif looks from upstairs and helps Rahmat by chasing and knocking the policemen down. Latif is arrested as a substitute Figure 5 for Rahmat, who has already been released. Then the foreman ransomed Latif immediately fell in love him and picked him up at the police with Rahmat and changed all the station while scolding him. negative views about migrant This incident made Rahmat workers he hated for taking over the stop working on the building local esidents' workplaces. The silent construction project. Sultan informed inner communication between them the foreman about it. Latif is like just happened when Latif became losing weight. His heart became more concerned about Rahmat. He frozen, and he likes to be alone in the did not hesitate to beat workers who former kitchen location and finds cursed Rahmat for buying cigarettes hairpins where Rahmat used to give wrongly, and he became very excited kebab crumbs to the pigeons. In line about his clothes. The foreman once with the depiction of a faint winter scolded him for dressing up to meet without sun, trees covered in snow, Rahmat but was caught and forced to and withered leaves, Latif went work in new and elegant clothes. missing, moving away from the During lunch time together, camera. He tried to find out where Latif gave a gentle glance to Rahmat, Rahmat lived. who distributed the kebabs. The On the way to find Rahmat's house, staple food of Iran is like a "bridge" Latif meets an old shoe tailor. He held out his shoes to be repaired

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 while looking for information on Rahmat's eyes when Latif was where Sultan and Najaf's house was. drinking milk with a group of people The conversation between them was in the immigrant community opened calm and profound about the his mind to situations of inter- relationship between humans and cultural, cross-cultural God, between humans and each communication without hostility. other. The position of a close-up The atmosphere of the environment shooting pattern that shows the entire with various colors of the typical face of an older man bowed clearly, burqa clothes and the somewhat and an elegant dress shows the side modern Latif costumes tried to clear of social Sufism in Iranian culture. up all the misunderstandings and (Figure 6). Even the older man's cultural jealousies that had been answers to Latif's questions were going on so far. The problem of sometimes as poetic as quoting the asylum seekers or illegal poems of Konya's greatest Persian employment in all countries becomes poet, Jalaluddin Rumi. insignificant when cultural encounters occur naturally and humanely in the name of love. When Latif returns there the next day, he gets information that Rahmat works on the river behind the river funeral complex. He peeked over the bridge wall where many women were working, pulling stones in the river. Moreover, he saw Rahmat pulling a stone and falling in Figure 6 the water. His friends helped him sit Latif's search for the illegal by the fire and stopped for a immigrants in Afghanistan finally moment. He returned to the city, and arrived at his destination with great on the way, he saw Sultan leaving in exhaustion. He joins an immigrant a pickup. Latif got off the bus and community feast while looking for chased the car. Sultan said that he Rahmat. The bitterness of life for works odd jobs in other places that illegal immigrants is reflected in the can accommodate illegal migrant simple and shabby housing workers. He said Najaf had complexes, especially when winter recovered and planned to return to comes. In another corner, far behind Afghanistan but was constrained by Latif's back, the figure of Rahmat is funding. seen stirring hot milk in a large Latif charged all his savings cauldron with a distinctive green to the foreman. Unfortunately, the scarf. He was surprised to see Latif foreman ran out of money because and hurried away from the feast. several sides of the building were not The point of view of the properly built. The supervising civil camera that seemed to represent engineer said that they had to be demolished and rebuilt without any

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 additional funds. The foreman was woman he loves who later finds out angry, and Latif was crying because his name is Baran. Arriving at a his sister was sick in the village and burial complex, he sat on the edge of he had to come back tomorrow. The a pond inhabited by several red fish. foreman keeps his promise by giving He took off his hat and put it on the enough money so that Latif can leave side of the pool with blue water. The it to the Sultan to give to Najaf, and long duration of the close-up shot of tomorrow morning he invites Sultan Latif's hat shows a Baran hair clip to meet Najaf at his house. tucked there. The powerful and close Apparently, the Sultan used the emotional connection represented by money to return to Afghanistan two objects with blue water covers early, and Najaf was not angry. He Latif's inability to reveal his heart to entrusted a small letter from the Baran. There is no "open culture" in Sultan to Latif, which stated that he the relationship between men and vowed to return Latif's money. To no women in traditional Islamic avail, Latif threw the letter into the societies. Visual communication ditch. He unpacked the savings requires many symbols that are linear inside the stone wall to buy wooden to the story. supports that would be gifted to Similar symbolism is also Najaf. raised as the film's storyline's The next day Najaf came to culmination in strengthening Latif the construction project to borrow and Baran's emotional connection. money from the foreman. However, Just as Najaf and the rental car driver he refused when he was given the were getting ready to leave Iran that little money left over from the last morning, maybe even Latif did foreman's pants pocket. Latif not return to the construction project overheard their conversation and that evening to look forward to thought of helping. Latif goes to the parting with Baran. When Baran left black market to sell his ID card. ID the house, she was carrying a basket cards are, of course, very much of fruit and vegetables. Because the needed by illegal immigrants by basket is too heavy, it fell, and all simply changing photos. The money contents are scattered onto the from the sale was given directly to ground. Latif ran to help to pick up Najaf, but he said that the money the fruit and vegetables with Baran. came from the foreman who could The camera's position with a top not come because he was busy with angle shot from above by only the project. Najaf promised to return shooting two hands grabbing each it after he returned from Afghanistan. other's fruit and vegetables become a Latif refused it because it was the kind of walkway between two daily salary for Najaf that was not souls. Also affirming Islamic art that given by the foreman. should not touch men and women After finding out that Najaf who are not mahrams was leaving in the morning, Latif was restless, and he ran quite a distance. He will lose Rahmat, the CONCLUSION

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Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 REFERENCES Films as an actual and most vital means of audio-visual A. Devito, Joseph. Komunikasi communication carry out inter- Antarmanusia cultural communication to [Communication Between understand and remove cultural Humans]. Kuliah Dasar. tensions in world cultural Jakarta: Professional Books. interactions. Semiotically, cultural Adjidarma, Seno Gumira. 2002. symbolism in films can break down Membaca Film Garin [Reading clearly and expand meaning in Garin's Movies], Yogyakarta: communication. Pustaka Pelajar. Three films by famous Iranian director Majid Majidi, Barthes, Roland. 2007. namely Children of Heaven, Color of Petualangan Semiologi Paradise, and Baran, are the latest [Semiology Adventure], audio-visual works of art from the Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar. land of the Mullahs. These films effectively communicated all crucial Berger, Athur Asa. 2005. Tanda- things in Iranian culture to see and Tanda dalam Kebudayaan explore the spirit of resilience of Kontemporer [Signs in Iranian society today, which is rarely Contemporary Culture], contained in the news due to global Yogyakarta: Tiara Wacana politics that isolate Iran and its role for the world's progress. The Bogdan & Biklen. 1982. Qualitative representation of Iranian culture in Research for Education, New the three films is very natural and York: Albany Adison Wesly. simple without visual effects to Hanif, Wildan. 2017. Analisis create hyper-reality in everyday Semiotika Film Iran Karya stories. The reproduction of Iranian Majid Majidi: Children of culture in the three films above uses Heaven Colour of Paradise a measured, intense, and subtle dan Baran [Semiotic Analysis shooting approach to the end of the of Iranian Films by Majid story. The spirit of Sufism and Majidi: Children of Heaven altruism is powerful in the Colour of Paradise and Baran], production process and the Iranian Bandung: Jurnal Sekolah cinematic content. Audio-visual is an Tinggi Seni Indonesia (STSI) act of cultural communication that comprehensively shows symbolic Kaid, Lee Lynda, 2015, Handbook interaction in messages, symbols, Penelitian Komunikasi Politik and values store a lot of cultural [Political Communication meanings as a nation. Research Handbook], Nusa Media Bandung.

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