Review of The Stoning of Soraya M. (2009) by Hunter D — 11 Feb 2011

It would be easy to write-off THE STONING OF SORAYA M. as garden variety Islamophobia in terms of how it depicts the treatment of women, but to do so is a symptom of passive tolerance, as the events depicted, while done so in a manner that is anything but subtle, still happen to women today.

The film is about a French-Iranian journalist (Jim Caviezel) who breaks down in an Iranian village in 1986 after the Shah of Iran was overthrown from power and theocracy has taken hold. He is approached by a woman who the village elders insist is crazy, but he listens to her anyway.

She tells him the story of her niece, Soraya, whose husband wanted to take a young lover, but couldn't do so without a divorce. Soraya refuses under the circumstances, arguing that she and her daughters can't survive without his support, prompting the presentation of various demeaning alternatives before he spreads rumors of her having an affair with a local widower, which leads to the titular stoning.

The scene is very difficult to watch and terrifyingly brutal, but such real brutality doesn't call for the director to dial it down. THE STONING OF SORAYA M. is a movie that elicits anger, I can't think of the last movie that left me this upset.

Unfortunately it may never reach the audience that needs to hear its message most, however if it at least raises awareness, the outrage it inspires may help steps get taken to put pressure on the monsters that condone this.