Alireza Kaveh proposes a unique framework for classifying cinema, which goes beyond traditional genre theory. His five-category model includes:
Kaveh emphasizes that tone—the emotional and ideological atmosphere of a film—is essential for understanding genre identity. Tone, in his view, determines the value system of a cinematic work.
His key work, Film Genre: Tone and Ideology, explores how genre interacts with tone, culture, and narrative across both Western and non-Western cinemas.