Today I attended a Q&A for The Stoning of Soraya M. with husband-and-wife writers Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh and Cyrus Nowrasteh, the latter also being the director. It was an honor to have them present the film, and I highly recommend that anyone who can attend a screening do so.
Based on the account written by French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, The Stoning of Soraya M. explores one specific example in the harsh reality of the little acknowledged stoning practice of the Middle East. The abusive husband of a lovely mother of four has decided to wed a 14-year-old girl, and his wife, Soraya (Mozhan Marnò), will not grant him a divorce because that would mean certain starvation for her and her daughters (his sons are his only concern). His only solution is to accuse his wife of infidelity and enact the little used though legal practice of stoning. Her only defense comes from her outspoken aunt (the excellent Shohreh Aghdashloo), who fights to tell this story to accidentally visiting journalist Sahebjam.
This is a jarring story, a horrific story, an important story. I encourage anyone who can to see it.