Résumé:
As environmental degradation escalates in the 21st century, animation has emerged as a
powerful medium for raising ecological awareness through symbolic visual storytelling. This
study offers a semiotic analysis of The Turning Point (2020), a short animated film by Steve
Cutts, drawing on Roland Barthes’ framework of denotation, connotation, myth, and the five
narrative codes. It addresses four key questions; first, it explores how denotative and
connotative signs interact to communicate ecological concerns. Second, it examines the
ideological myths embedded within the film’s symbolic framework. Third, it considers how
Barthes’ narrative codes contribute to the construction of environmental discourse. Finally, it
investigates how the symbolic role reversal between humans and animals serves as a critique
of anthropocentrism.Using a qualitative methodology, the film is broken down into
thematically rich scenes reflecting issues such as consumerism, capitalism, ecological justice,
and power. Visual elements, composition, motion, color, character symbolism, alongside
music and textual components, are closely examined. Findings reveal a multilayered
discourse where denotative and connotative signs intertwine to construct and critique cultural
myths. Barthes’ narrative codes structure meaning while exposing dominant ideologies. The
human-animal role reversal functions as a deliberate semiotic strategy to challenge
anthropocentric perspectives and prompt reflection on ecological responsibility. This study
affirms the potential of animated media to foster environmental consciousness through
nuanced semiotic storytelling and meaning-making.
