The Stoning of Soraya M.

The release of ‘The Stoning of Soraya M.’ in theaters today can be referred to as both ironic and coincidental.
Set in a small Iranian village shortly after the fall of the Shah, “The Stoning of Soroya M.” opens on Freidoune (Jim Caviezel), a French-Iranian journalist whose car has broken down and who has some time to kill while it is repaired. He encounters Zahra (Shohreh Aghdashloo), who tells him there is a story he, and the world, must know. The film, in Farsi and English, was inspired by the 1994 best seller by French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam.  The Stoning of Soraya M. is based on a real-life event where Soraya is charged with adultery by her husband Ali. Ali wants to divorce Soraya and marry a 14-year girl. Soraya’s objections lead to her tragic death. Soraya is stoned to death in front of her children and cheering villagers. Ali and their sons, as well as her father, participate in her killing.
Stoning had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was the runner-up for the Audience Choice Award and was the second runner-up for the Cadillac People’s Choice. According to the WSJ ‘This is classic tragedy in semi-modern dress that means to horrify, and does so more successfully than any film in recent memory. The Stoning gives us an alternate, non-political, perspective on Iran.