A MULTIMODAL CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS ON SELECT NOLLWOOD MOVIE POSTERS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the representation of participants in selected Nollywood movie posters, focusing on the communicative interplay of visual and non-visual modes using Kress and van Leeuwen’s Grammar of Visual Design. Drawing on multimodal critical discourse analysis (MCDA), the study analyses how elements such as gaze, gestures, costume, and color convey meaning, reinforce ideology, and construct power and identity. The findings reveal that visual elements in movie posters communicate layered meanings related to authority, ethnicity, gender, and cultural identity. The study concludes that applying visual grammar enhances the interpretation of multimodal texts, revealing underlying ideological and identity narratives often overlooked in traditional discourse analysis.