Representasi Fungsi Keluarga dalam Scene Film "Air Mata Diujung Sajadah" melalui Analisis Semiotika Ferdinand de Saussure

Abstract

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 This study aims to analyze the representation of family functions in the Indonesian film Air Mata di Ujung Sajadah (2023) using Ferdinand de Saussure’s semiotic approach. The film presents an emotionally and morally complex narrative involving a biological mother and an adoptive mother in a custody conflict, reflecting the evolving structure of family relations in contemporary Indonesian society. Employing a qualitative descriptive method, the research focuses on selected scenes containing symbolic visual and verbal elements interpreted through the framework of signifier and signified. Data collection was conducted through non-participant observation, documentation, and literature review. The findings reveal that the film portrays five essential family functions: affection, socialization, protection, economic support, and recreation or status determination, as theorized by Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman. These functions are expressed through cinematic symbols such as facial expressions, religious rituals, household settings, and interpersonal gestures, which collectively construct the image of an emotionally and spiritually bonded family. The study concludes that the film does not merely represent family as a biological entity but redefines it as a symbolic and emotional construct embedded in cultural and religious values. As such, the film serves both as a mirror of social reality and a medium for reconstructing idealized notions of family in the urban and religious context of Indonesia.