David O'Connell
The Stoning of Soraya M
May 17th 2010 21:07
by Cibbuano
Without knowing anything about the film, the title gives it away - a movie where the centerpiece is likely to be the reproduction of an execution by stoning. This is deep, heavy material, and I admit it was with some trepidation that I watched this, never quite sure if I'd be ready for The Stoning of Soraya M.
Fortunately, the film is quite engrossing, using the book as background material - written in 1994, it describes the true story told to a French-Iranian journalist as he was passing through a village. Told by Soraya's aunt, the story unravels the deceit and lies told by the men in the village, using the convenient charge of adultery to stone Soraya to death.
What was Soraya's charge? The movie is quite one-sided on this: she was falsely accused by her husband, who only wanted a divorce, but did not want to pay her to support herself. Using his connection with the corrupt local mullah, he convinced the men in the village that she was a lusty woman, mostly because she smiled at a widower.
The men in The Stoning of Soraya M are portrayed as awful thugs, manipulating and cavorting in their supremacy over women - this, perhaps, is the weakness of the film, which also suffers in its predictability and exploitation of the stoning scene.
None of this matters, however, as director Cyrus Nowrasteh's feature offers that incandescent ability of the cinema: it can give you the experience of being there. Without this film, I would have, perhaps, continued to complain about Sydney traffic and look forward to a Scotch after work.
As it is, I'm haunted by the admission that, in some places in the world, this can happen. Worse that this, too, if you really want to think about it - but I'm already dejected from the miserable depiction of the pack-like mentality of men that think they are right.
It'd be easy to be nihilistic about this - after watching The Stoning of Soraya M, I'm glad I don't have my finger on the big, red button - but I can't help but wonder: are men responsible for all the evils in the world? A world without men, as told by Y:The Last Man, is as cruel and violent when led by women. That's comforting - or disturbing - but, after watching The Stoning of Soraya M, it's hard to believe that things would be any worse.
*this image is from The Stranger.
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Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Wasn't actually aware of this film, thanks for bringing it to my attention
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by sam sall
Speech Starter
Health Matters
I think the main problem in this this kind of tragidies are the authority personals who don't look carefully in such allegation and even then they use their currpted concepts ,I don't know why they do that ....may be to make people fear them... but again who would be weak enough to be afraid of such people...
Are the men the problem in this world ? ..no and I don't know why the men in this film are very cruel , they are too angry...where is their good judgment and comon sense ?!
Thanks a gain
Comment by Yank in Oz
Blogging American
ZENtertainment
Comment by Davido LegEagle
The Jukebox Hero
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
good to see you back!
Unfortunately, although the film appears to you as predictable and one sided, it actually is a truthful representation of events under Sharia Law, and it happens all too often.
I have seen a couple of docos on the subjec, and women, by far and in all aspects, come out second best.
Your comment about whether life would be as brutal if only women were left is interesting, and does seem slightly defensive of today's masculinity and it being a constant target of criticism, but, we must face the facts, women in many Islamic countries are more like chattels of men, than individuals.
By the way, you do not have to go back too far in Western history to find that women were also regarded as the chattel of the husband under law!
Oh, and one other thought, in support of your stance that women are not immune from brutalism and superiority; Margaret Thatcher! tee hee!!
cheers
fog
P.S. You've missed a typo;
"Worse that this, too.." instead of "than"
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
A fine return review for a film that is possibly not being discussed as much as it should.
Great to see you!
Comment by Anonymous