A tip: If you are born a female, make sure it's not in Iran.
They say it themselves: If you're accused of having an affair, and you're a woman, it's not up to them to prove you're guilty, but for you to establish your innocence. Of course with men, it's the other way around. You've bore your violent husband two girls and two boys and been married to him for twenty years. Suddenly one day, he decides to hitch up with a 14 year old girl instead. That's gratitude for you. But you won't give him a divorce, due to the fact it would leave you virtually penniless. So, he does the only thing a nasty bastard could do... he makes up a cock and bull story about you having an affair with a neighbour... and enlists the help of the local corrupt law officials in his plan. And the punishment for such a crime is... well, look at the title.
The Stoning Of Soraya M, as told by Soraya's aunt after the event to a journalist, is one of the hardest films to watch that I've seen in many a moon. Throughout, the sense of injustice and frustration at such an unfair situation makes you want to scream, and the uncomfortableness factor is moved up about 50 notches at the stoning itself... when everyone, from Soraya's sons to her own father takes it in turns to chuck rocks at her while she's half buried in the soil. Of course, the injuries are graphically displayed... Making this possibly the most upsetting final act since Jesus's fate was sealed in The Passion Of The Christ. Both are extended slow deaths where nothing is left to the imagination, so make sure you're mentally prepared before submitting yourself to such a brutal experience.
Brilliantly acted, and echoing with the ring of truth, as the epilogue reminds us: this sort of barbarism is still taking place all over the world. We may THINK we're civilised, but incidences like this prove we still have a LONG way to go. Disgraceful. 7/10
