A Postmodern Analysis of the Representation of Muslim Social Life and the Value of Tolerance in the Film Merindu Cahaya De Amstel

Abstract

This study examines the representation of Muslim social life and interfaith relations in the Netherlands as portrayed in the film Merindu Cahaya de Amstel. Against the backdrop of lingering Islamophobia, which results in discrimination and intolerance toward Muslims, the film offers an alternative narrative that emphasizes tolerance, equality, and cultural sensitivity. Guided by a postmodernism framework highlighting the dissolution of boundaries between high and low culture this research employs an interpretive paradigm to explore the interactions between Muslim and non-Muslim communities, the extent of cultural sensitivity demonstrated, and the aesthetic dimensions embedded in the portrayal of Muslim life. The findings suggest that, while the film reflects a society that largely understands and respects religious and cultural differences, it also acknowledges the persistence of fanaticism among a minority. Overall, Merindu Cahaya de Amstel underscores the values of tolerance and mutual respect as fundamental to interfaith coexistence.