Overview
A haunting tale of love and betrayal unfolds in a remote Iranian village, where tradition clashes with justice.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- harrowing
- angry
- solemn
- serious movie night
- human rights discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly found the powerful true subject and committed performances compelling, but considered the filmmaking heavy-handed and overly didactic.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Freidoune Sahebjam's meeting with Zahra frames her account of Soraya's marriage and death.
Soraya's husband, local authorities, and the mullah exploit accusations and communal power against her.
The village's silence, coercion, and participation enable Soraya's persecution.
The remote Iranian village leaves Soraya dependent on local patriarchal and religious authorities.
Films like The Stoning of Soraya M., and why
A Separation
shared true-story drama, gendered injustice, and emotionally confrontational social critique
The Circle
shared rural Iranian setting, moral pressure, and focused dramatic examination of patriarchal institutions
The Magdalene Sisters
shared political drama, persecution, and righteous anger centered on an abused woman
Dead Man Walking
shared death-penalty subject, institutional cruelty, and devastating moral seriousness
Movie Details
- Director
- Cyrus Nowrasteh
- Release Date
- 2009-06-26
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (267)
Cast
- Shohreh Aghdashloo
- Mozhan Navabi
- Jim Caviezel
- Navid Negahban
- Ali Pourtash
- David Diaan
- Parviz Sayyad
- Vida Ghahremani
- Vachik Mangassarian
- Maggie Parto
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Stoning of Soraya M. about?
- A stranded journalist hears a village woman's account of how patriarchal power and communal cowardice condemn her niece to a horrifying fate.
- What is The Stoning of Soraya M. like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Stoning of Soraya M. as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Stoning of Soraya M. violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Stoning of Soraya M. as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Stoning of Soraya M.?
- Critics broadly found the powerful true subject and committed performances compelling, but considered the filmmaking heavy-handed and overly didactic.
- Which films are like The Stoning of Soraya M.?
- Films with a similar feel include A Separation, The Circle, The Magdalene Sisters, and Dead Man Walking.
- How long is The Stoning of Soraya M.?
- The Stoning of Soraya M. runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Stoning of Soraya M.?
- In United States, The Stoning of Soraya M. streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
