Empoderamiento femenino en el cine ecuatoriano contemporáneo: análisis de las películas “Qué tan lejos” (2006) y “En el nombre de la hija” (2011) de Tania Hermida

Abstract

This study examines female empowerment in contemporary Ecuadorian cinema through an analysis of Qué tan lejos and En el nombre de la hija, directed by Tania Hermida. Drawing on feminist theory and a hermeneutic approach, the research offers an integrated analysis of the narrative and formal elements of both films, understanding cinema as a site of symbolic production where meanings around femininity are constructed and contested. The study focuses on the protagonists’ actions, their processes of identity formation, and the relationships they establish within their social and cultural environments. In addition, formal cinematic resources—such as camera work, sound design, editing, and visual symbolism— are examined as integral components of the films’ discursive frameworks. Through this approach, the research explores how these works engage with issues of gender, power, and inequality within the Ecuadorian context. Ultimately, this thesis aims to contribute to scholarly discussions on the role of cinema in shaping and problematizing representations of femininity.