The Representation of the Female Figure as a Caregiver in the Film Sore: Istri dari Masa Depan

Abstract

Women’s representation in film is closely connected to cultural constructions of femininity, caregiving, and gender expectations. Sore: Istri dari Masa Depan presents Sore as a woman who attempts to transform her husband’s unhealthy lifestyle while repeatedly providing physical and emotional care. This study aims to analyze the representation of women as caregivers through the concept of nurture and examine how Sore reflects the cultural reality of Indonesian women. A qualitative approach was employed using Roland Barthes’ semiotic analysis of denotation, connotation, and myth, supported by Stuart Hall’s representation perspective. Data were obtained through repeated observation of selected scenes, dialogues, visual elements, and interactions involving Sore and Jonathan. The findings indicate that Sore is constructed as a caring, attentive, and responsible woman who manages Jonathan’s health, daily needs, and emotional well-being. However, her caregiving also reveals emotional exhaustion and an unequal burden of responsibility. At the same time, Sore demonstrates agency by making decisions and initiating change. The study concludes that the film simultaneously reproduces traditional expectations of women as caregivers while negotiating these expectations through female agency and shared relational responsibility.