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Articles - CfP Topic

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2026): Fandom

The Cinematic Face of the Sacred in Contemporary Shi‘i Visual Culture on Instagram

DOI
https://doi.org/10.25364/05.12:2026.2.4
Submitted
February 9, 2026
Published
2026-11-14

Abstract

This article explores the circulation of cinematic and televisual images of sacred Shi‘i figures on Instagram, examining how digital media shape devotional practice, memory, and collective identity. Using the example of Mukhtār al-Thaqafī’s portrayal in the TV series Mokhtarnameh and that of other figures such as ʿAbbās b. ʿAlī and Imām ʿAlī, it traces the movement of cinematic faces from screen to social media, highlighting their function as mnemonic placeholders and affective anchors. Drawing on theories of collective memory, remediation, and premediation, the study argues that Instagram edits, video montages, and fan-generated content constitute “rememory” practices, reactivating sacred history through multimodal engagement. The article also examines tensions between clerical authority and popular devotional creativity, generational differences in visual religiosity, and the emergence of digital piety as an everyday practice. Ultimately, it demonstrates how contemporary Shi‘i audiences negotiate, circulate, and experience sacred history in a networked digital environment in which screens are transformed into sites of devotion, memory, and communal belonging.