Who cares in the end? : A Thematic and Semiotic Analysis of Elderly Care Representation in Utopian Cinema

This thesis examines depictions of elderly care in utopian cinema (1962–2023), analyzing intersections of gender, race, and migration through thematic and semiotic study of 16 mostly Western films. Findings reveal care is marginalized and technologized, with elders and caregivers often invisible or stereotyped. Care work remains feminized and racialized, echoing real-world inequalities, while technological solutions dominate. A shift from familial and institutional to individualized, tech-driven models reflects neoliberal trends. It concludes utopian cinema consistently depoliticizes aging and care, framing them as private or technical, not collective justice issues. The study calls for intersectional, caregiver-centered representations for equitable futures.