Spatial representations of ecological vandalism in dystopian science fiction cinema

This study examines the relationship between ecological vandalism and spatial representation in dystopian science fiction cinema. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study utilizes Seymour Chatman's narrative analysis framework. The film universe of the study comprises dystopian science fiction works that thematically address the spatial consequences of ecological disasters. From this universe, three films were selected using purposeful sampling based on specific theoretical and content-related criteria. The selected films are: A Boy and His Dog (1975), Waterworld (1995), and Snowpiercer (2013). The analysis indicates that ecological vandalism transforms space into fragmented, mobile, or enclosed structures, and these transformations shape the cinematic narrative through atmosphere, plot structure, and symbolic representations. This study reveals cinema's spatial representation of ecological crises, contributing to ecocritical film studies and offering new insights into the intersection of environment, narrative, and visual culture.