Watch The Stoning of Soraya M.

The Stoning of Soraya M. is a 2008 adaptation of a true story as told to French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam. Directed by Cyrus Nowratsteh, it features Shored Aghdashloo and Jim Caviezel. In a remote village of Iran, a journalist (Caviezel) is stranded when his car breaks down. A local woman, Zahra, befriends him and tells him the story of Soraya, her niece, another local woman who had been stoned just the day before. The journalist must evade government authorities who want him dead so as to publish Soraya's story for an international audience. The story then unfolds in flashback. Soraya, as Zahra tells the journalist, is married to an abusive husband, Ali, who seeks to divorce her and remarry a 14-year-old girl. The village's leader, the mullah, proposes Soraya become his temporary spouse in exchange for financial support. Soraya refuses, though her two sons are still ashamed of her, as they blame their parents' marital problems entirely on her. When a village woman dies, Zahra and Ali entreat Soraya to care for the widower, suggesting she can earn wages for her service. Soraya commences work in the widower's house. Ali lies about Soraya's unfaithfulness, arousing the scorn and harsh judgment of the village. Ali's intention is to see Soraya dead, as this will release him to marry whom he wants and absolve him of child-support responsibilities. The mullah conspires with Ali, spreading lies that Soraya is an adulteress. Ali and the mullah visit the widower to coerce him into speaking against Soraya. He agrees to second their lie. Ali then drags Sorays into the streets. He beats her and announces publicly she is a whore. Zahra intervenes, and a private conference to determine Soraya's innocence is held at Zahra's house. An official trial ensues, presided over by the mayor.