Comparative Study of Spiritual Cinema and Intuitive Cinema According to Morteza Avini Ideas

The staggering development of technology and industry and fading of spirituality in the human life in recent decades have led to more attention to metaphysics and search of meaning for life whose consequences have been manifested the most in cinema. In Iran, paying attention to spiritual and holy affairs increased during the imposed war. Meanwhile, Morteza Avini was one of those who tried to propose a new type of cinema which matches the spiritual aspects of Holy Defence. Thus, instead of using traditional method of narrative, he applied new methods based on intuition and illumination and used the name intuitive cinema for it. The gradual prominence of spirituality in cinematic works caused new cinematic genres like religious, conceptual, metaphysical and transcendental to be born in the arena of Iranian cinema. Accordingly, the main issue of this research is a comparative study of intuitive and conceptual cinema. Thus, first, the notion of intuitive cinema has been explored with regard to Avini ideas. Then, different definitions and views about conceptual cinema and similar genres have been proposed and its features have been investigated by providing several examples. Finally, the two cinematic genres were compared. This study applies analytical-library method as well as documentary investigation and comparative analysis. The results of this study show that the production of conceptual cinema and definitions of intuitive cinema, though having fundamental difference in their attitude towards spirituality, are similar in some issues such as positive and benevolent attitude towards the world and also reminding the existence of God to the audience.