Representation of Educators Through Two Indonesian Films: A Comparative Semiotic Analysis of Teacher Competence in Laskar Pelangi (2008) and Gokil Teachers (2021)

Abstract

Films as popular media significantly shape the construction of teacher representation in society. Yet comparative studies examining such representations across films from different generational contexts remain scarce. This study aims to analyze the representation of teacher competency spanning pedagogical, personal, social, and professional dimensions in the Indonesian films Laskar Pelangi (2008) and Guru-Guru Gokil (2021) through Roland Barthes' semiotic framework. Employing a qualitative approach, key scenes were purposively selected from both films. Data were collected through non-participant observation, document study (screenshots and transcripts), and literature review. Analysis proceeded through sign identification, denotation and connotation analysis, myth reading, and comparative synthesis. Findings reveal significant representational differences: Laskar Pelangi constructs a heroic teacher whose strong personal and pedagogical competencies are encoded through symbols of sacrifice and material limitation, building the myth of the "teacher as selfless hero." Conversely, Guru-Guru Gokil encodes a professional teacher whose social and professional competencies emerge through symbols of collective action and rights advocacy, building the counter-myth of "teacher as rights-bearing professional." The study concludes that Indonesian cinema has undergone a notable discursive shift in teacher representation over the period 2008–2021. Implications are offered for education practitioners and the film industry to cultivate a more holistic and balanced image of teachers.