The Cinematic Narrative of Space and Ambiguity Interaction: The Case of the Film Arrival
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2026.859Keywords:
architecture, space, ambiguity, cinema, ArrivalAbstract
The study aims to explain the phenomenon of ambiguity through space -a shared construct of architecture and cinema- and to discuss how ambiguity-generating spatial indicators are produced through cinematic narratives. In this aim, the article focuses on the spatial potential for complexity, contradiction, and ambiguity, as emphasized by Robert Venturi. The concept of ambiguity accompanies the exploration and revelation of spatial potentials. Accordingly, the article takes the film Arrival, directed by Denis Villeneuve in 2016, as a case study. Rather than treating ambiguity as an accidental feature of the film, the study approaches it as a consciously designed aesthetic visual strategy. Through its non-linear temporal structure, the initially unclear purpose of the alien visit, and the spatial organization of the alien environment, the film creates layers of interpretive uncertainty. These characteristics make Arrival a productive case for examining how ambiguity operates within cinematic space. The main materials in the article include visuals from the film, as well as statements from the director and the design team. So, the study adopts a multi-layered analytical framework that combines spatial analysis and semiotic interpretation within a phenomenological perspective. Rather than being treated as separate methodologies, these approaches function as complementary analytical layers. To begin with, spatial analysis is employed to identify the physical and configurational properties of the selected scenes. Secondly, narratives are used to interpret the symbolic meanings embedded in spatial elements. Finally, a phenomenological perspective is taken as an interpretive layer to reveal the experiential and perceptual dimensions of space. In this way, the approaches collectively contribute to understanding both the physical and experiential meanings of cinematic space. The film’s spaces are categorized as primary and secondary, and the analysis reveals how certain settings contribute to spatial ambiguity and reinforce the film’s ambiguous narrative structure.
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