REPRESENTATION OF VULNERABILITY OF FEMALE WORKERS IN THE FILM SLEEP CALL (2023) – A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

Film is a projection of the realities that grow and develop in society. In the current industrial revolution era, film practitioners increasingly highlight societal problems, for example, those related to economic issues. The film Sleep Call (2023) depicts many societal problems, ranging from the current reality of vulnerability to the trap of online loans to meet economic needs to the issue of how women can experience multi-layered vulnerability due to economic problems. This research aims to analyze and describe the representation of female workers’ vulnerability through the main character, Dina, a former flight attendant who is trapped in an online loan-debt cycle while caring for her sick mother. Using Roland Barthes’ semiotic analysis, this research examines the denotative and connotative meanings in the film across its visual, verbal, and audio aspects. The results show that the film Sleep Call (2023) represents three main forms of vulnerability: economic vulnerability through online loan debt traps, social vulnerability through job stigmatization, and psychological vulnerability due to past trauma and current circumstances. Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis of the film reveals how it serves not only as a reflection of social reality but also as a critical medium that addresses various issues in the contemporary socio-economic context. Theoretically, this research contributes to the development of gender representation studies in Indonesian film media. In practice, the findings of this research can inform policymakers in designing regulations to protect women workers.