THE STONING OF SORAYA M

Based on Freidoune Sahebjam's novel "The Stoning of Soraya M" this film, directed by Award winner Cyrus Nowrastesh, portrays the real story of how after the Islamic regime came to power in Iran an innocent woman fell victim to a twisted plot by her husband, accused and convicted of adultery in a kangaroo trial and condemned to death by stoning.

The film portrays how women are treated in Iran but at the same time shows how proud and strong Iranian women are. In my view the film was shockingly realistic because in places where death by stoning is used, it is so true that mostly the woman is innocent not to mention the manipulation of Sharia. Sharia only prescribes death by stoning if:

1) the adulterers are in a current and valid marriage contract with another person.

2) does not distinguish stoning only for females

3) 4 Male witnesses with a reputation of just virtues must have seen the adulterers at the same time together

4) All 4 witness must witness the complete intercourse.

The only time someone was stoned to death at the time of the prophet was when a woman went to him and admitted her adultery and asked to be punished so god would forgive her. After she told him she was pregnant the prophet told her to go and come back after birth. She gave birth and went back to him and he ordered her to wait until she's done breast feeding. She went and came two years later asking to be punished. The prophet only then ordered her execution. Point of the story - even though stoning in Islam remains to be a horrible form of death whose application correctly is elusive and not clear, it is mandated in a way so it would practically be impossible to apply. If adultery happened, it's still a sin, but it is only punishable by stoning in very specific circumstances that are very difficult to occur. And that technically is only to communicate to people how grave cheating on your spouse is and in my opinion should never be applied here on Earth. 

Watch the film and we'll critique it together.