When a deadly conspiracy became a shameful cover-up One witness refused to be silent|Jun. 26, 2009|USA|114 Min.|R
Genre: Crime;Drama
Description: The Stoning of Soraya M. (2009) is a gripping drama set in the remote Iranian village of Kuhpayeh. The story begins when a journalist, stranded in the village due to car trouble, encounters Zahra, a woman determined to share the tragic tale of her niece, Soraya. Zahra recounts the harrowing events leading to Soraya’s brutal execution by stoning the previous day. As Freidoune, the journalist, records Zahra’s story, he realizes the urgency of escaping the village to share this shocking account with the world.
Soraya’s abusive husband, Ali, manipulates the village mullah into helping him secure a divorce so he can marry a 14-year-old girl. Ali leverages threats to reveal the mullah’s criminal past to gain his cooperation. Meanwhile, Soraya is left to care for their two sons, whom Ali desires to reclaim. After the death of a local woman, Ali pressures Zahra to convince Soraya to assist the woman’s widowed husband. Soraya begins working for the widower, but Ali seizes this opportunity to spread false accusations of infidelity against her. His ultimate goal is to have Soraya stoned to death, freeing him to remarry and avoid paying child support.
Ali and the mullah conspire to spread rumors of Soraya’s adultery, but they need one more witness to formally charge her. They coerce the widower into supporting their fabricated story. Ali then publicly humiliates Soraya, dragging her through the streets while accusing her of unfaithfulness. Zahra intervenes, leading to a private conversation involving Ali, the mayor, and the widower. When the widower lies as instructed, Soraya is put on trial. The trial is conducted exclusively by men, including Soraya’s father, while she remains confined in Zahra’s home.
This powerful narrative sheds light on the injustices faced by Soraya and the lengths to which Ali goes to achieve his selfish goals.
Cast director: Cyrus Nowrasteh
Cast actor: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mozhan Marnò, Jim Caviezel, Navid Negahban, Ali Pourtash, David Diaan, Parviz Sayyad, Vida Ghahremani, Vachik Mangassarian, Maggie Parto
Original name: The Stoning of Soraya M.