Email This to a Friend
The Stoning of Soraya M.: An Unflinching Look at the Unconscionable
A courageous film — based on a true story — unveils a brutal Islamic custom still practiced in Iran and elsewhere.
The pivotal scene in director Cyrus Nowrasteh’s new film unfolds slowly, letting the audience absorb every soul-crushing second.
First, a hole is dug in the ground. Then, the accused adulterer is lowered into the empty space and workers bury her up to her waist in dirt.
Then, the woman’s neighbors, young and old — as well as her immediate family — start collecting stones to throw at her until she dies.
The Stoning of Soraya M. is unlike any film we’ve seen before. It’s an unflinching glimpse at the very worst side of Iranian culture, an indictment of a barbaric ritual defended and embraced by an entire village.
And it’s based on a real-life incident.
Nowrasteh, best known for writing the ABC miniseries The Path to 9/11, gives away the story in the film’s title. That he keeps the audience engaged up until the final scene is a testament to his measured approach.
In clumsier hands, like Oliver Stone circa 2009, Soraya M. would have played out with thunder, brimstone, and more than a few overt political messages.
Nowrasteh — who also co-wrote the film with his wife, screenwriter Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh — tackles the material in a straightforward fashion. The only razzle dazzle on display is the powerhouse performance by House of Sand and Fog actress Shohreh Aghdashloo as the doomed woman’s confidante.
Aghdashloo plays Zahra, an Iranian woman who corners a journalist (Jim Caviezel) when his car breaks down in her dusty village. She insists he listen to the story she must tell an outsider. Their discussion serves as the film’s perfunctory framing device.
Soraya (Mozhan Marnò) is married to Ali (Navid Negahban), a cruel partner with a wandering eye. Local customs won’t allow him to follow said eye, so he conjures up an adultery charge against Soraya in the hopes the scandal will set him free. The male dominated legal system — aided and abetted by Sharia law, which demands a public execution of the guilty — does the rest.
Page 1 of 2 Next ->
Christian Toto is a freelance writer and film critic for The Washington Times. His work has appeared in People magazine, MovieMaker Magazine, The Denver Post, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Scripps Howard News Service. He also contributes movie radio commentary to three stations as well as the nationally syndicated Dennis Miller Show and runs the blog What Would Toto Watch?
 |
 |
 |
Podcasts |  PJM Home |
Pajamas Media appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:
1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote or is relevant to the comment.
2. Stay on topic.
3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.
4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.
5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.
The clause regarding "hate speech" has been deleted because readers criticized it as being too loosely defined. We agreed.
These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Pajamas Media management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email us at story@pajamasmedia.com.
17 Comments
1. "progressive"watch:The Nowrastehs will learn more about stoning. They themselves will be stoned. The left,expecially the former msm,is very good at stoning.
Jun 26, 2009 - 10:53 am 2. Leatherneck:Another example of Islam. Remember folks, it is the evil Christians you have to watch out for.
ROPMA!
Jun 26, 2009 - 1:26 pm 3. x-wife of iranian muslim:I was deeply moved by this movie and I think all American women should see this. I was married to and Iranian and although he could certainly never have treated me this way in my own country, I have no doubt he would have in his. I experience his complete contempt for women and extreme verbal abuse for 8 long years. I have studied middle eastern culture and Islam and it is brutal for women.
Jun 26, 2009 - 9:57 pm 4. lefroy:I blame Bush.
Jun 26, 2009 - 10:02 pm 5. Increase Mather:The critics of the New York Times and Washington Post have spoken: they both hate it.
Anybody surprised?
Jun 27, 2009 - 11:45 am 6. Jan:Just saw the movie, and it leaves one bewildered at the brutality still existing in this world.
We are indeed bubble-packed in the US, which is why we so easily succumb to our freedoms being taken away, stone by stone. When one sees this movie, though, you first want to scream with indignation, and then immediately clutch and fight for the rights and freedoms we still have. Don’t take them for granted any more!
Jun 27, 2009 - 7:50 pm 7. Torqued Marine (USMC):4. lefroy:
“I blame Bush.”
Of course you blame Bush. Even though this kind of thing has been going on since before any of us was born. That includes our parents and grandparents.
Those of us that were around for it remember how put these murdering bastards in power over there in Iran, Jimmy Carter.
Then it took a real Cowboy by the name of Reagan to free our guys over there, and get it some what under control.
But, you go ahead blame Bush, aw h#$l blame the entire Bush family. It just gives them power over things that even your precious Messiah obam-bam doesn’t even have.
Semper Fi.
Jun 27, 2009 - 10:09 pm 8. Oscar the Grump:Let’s all embrace Islam the religion of love and peace.
Jun 27, 2009 - 10:12 pm 9. lefroy:#7
Hey, relax! It was a joke . . .
Jun 28, 2009 - 2:58 am 10. Pickles:Conveniently, Iran announced last week that it would cease practices such as stoning. If I can find the link again, I will post it. My guess – it will also come with a convenient expiration date.
Jun 29, 2009 - 5:16 am 11. too stunned to speak:I saw this powerful and compelling movie with a group that included a hyper-partisan, leftist friend with awful and persistent BDS. She knew that I was dissatisfied with Obama voting present for 11 days before finally condemning the post election brutality in Iran. We came out of the theatre and her first words were to scoff at the US ‘agenda’ to spread democracy in an area of the world that is ruled by men who think like the mayor, the husband, etc. I was stunned. How do you respond to that!? It felt like I had taken one last stone aimed at the heart of Iranian protesters, especially the women, and women everywhere who cry out in desperation for basic human rights and freedom.
Jun 29, 2009 - 8:05 am 12. jodetoad:It is very sad. I find it more and more difficult to remain friends with some extreme libs. I dare not bring up certain topics, if I value the relationship. It seems unlikely that friendships can endure this way.
My cousin called his mother and my mother (his aunt) “racist bigots” when they accidentally emailed him something about illegal immigration. He was willing to hurt two elderly women who love him over this.
This polarization is tearing us apart. But I see reality one way, libs see it another way. It seems pointless to pretend.
Jun 29, 2009 - 10:27 am 13. Alinakd:This film is unforgettable, even though at times it was hard to watch. The reality behind the story which was so brilliantly portrayed brings about emotions of deep sorrow for those who must endure not only this type of extreme abuse, but domestic violence in any form.
Jul 7, 2009 - 12:46 pm 14. wittnessing101:This film is brilliant. What shocked me the most from a simply film standpoint is how the director was able to make a film both thrilling and engaging in which the audience does for the most part know the ending. And the message really speaks for itself. I walked out of seeing that movie hardly able to speak.
Jul 8, 2009 - 6:32 am 15. Tiffany:After seeing this film, I can promise you it is an important one for everyone to watch. It brings up an important message of human value and tells a brutal but very real story about a woman caught up in the unjust laws of her country. I hope everyone sees this film and realizes we must all come together as one and do something about this injustice!
Jul 8, 2009 - 12:04 pm 16. dr. bill:Tiffany I agree that it’s an important film and I think that everyone should HAVE to watch it. But at the same time I can’t in good conscience recommend it to people, because it was so horribly disturbing to me. I think that the lenghty and graphic and hollywood/Pecknpah-ish portrayal of the actual stoning was a bit much, so much so that for most people it will just trigger their denial and they’ll quickly forget it. I think the director could have made his point more effectively with less. Or perhaps more Hitchcockian – the violence more suggested than focused on directly. At any rate, definitely an important story to be told – I hope enough people listen.
Jul 10, 2009 - 10:32 pm 17. Royce:This movie is the best film I’ve seen all year. It has terrific acting, unique themes and powerful messages. I highly recommend it for anyone and everyone. A definitive must-see.
Jul 30, 2009 - 3:45 pm