True Story of a Woman Refusing to Divorce Her Husband Who Finds an Alternative to End The Marriage

Summary

In 'The Stoning of Soraya M.', a French-Iranian journalist uncovers the harrowing tale of Soraya, a woman accused of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning. The film exposes the injustice and brutality she faces as her abusive husband plots her downfall. Despite attempts to save her, Soraya's tragic fate unfolds, revealing the dark secrets of a village and the power of one man's quest for justice.

Takeaways

• 📖 The film is based on the book 'The Stoning of Soraya M.', which became an international bestseller after the story was published.
• 🗺️ French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam's car breaks down in Iran, leading him to the village of Kuhpayeh where he uncovers a dark secret.
• 👴 Local mechanic Hashem reluctantly helps Freidoune with his car, playing a pivotal role in the unfolding drama.
• 🦴 Zahra, who buries bones and clothing shreds, tries to tell Freidoune about the village's secrets but is interrupted by the town's mullah and mayor.
• 👩‍❤️‍👨 Soraya Manutchehri is married to an abusive husband, Ali, who wants to divorce her to marry a younger girl, Mehri.
• 👨‍👧‍👧 Soraya resists the divorce to protect her children, leading to a manipulative offer from Sheik to become his temporary wife in exchange for support.
• 🤬 Ali, seeking revenge for Soraya's refusal to divorce, conspires with Sheik and others to accuse her of adultery, a crime punishable by stoning.
• 🗣️ Hashem is coerced into falsely testifying against Soraya, despite knowing her innocence, due to threats against his son.
• 🏘️ The village turns against Soraya, with even her own family participating in her trial and eventual stoning.
• 💔 Zahra tries to save Soraya but is unsuccessful, and she promises to take care of Soraya's daughters and reveal the truth about their mother's death.
• 🚗 Freidoune manages to escape the village with the story, which he records and later publishes, bringing international attention to Soraya's tragic fate.

Q & A

What is the title of the 2008 drama film discussed in the script?

The title of the film is 'The Stoning of Soraya M.'

Who is the French-Iranian journalist in the film and what happens to his car?

The French-Iranian journalist is Freidoune Sahebjam, and his car breaks down while traveling through Iran.

What does Zahra bury by the river and why is she seen by whom?

Zahra buries some bones and clothing shreds by the river, and she is seen doing this by Freidoune Sahebjam.

Why does Ali want to divorce Soraya and what is his plan after the divorce?

Ali wants to divorce Soraya so he can marry a fourteen-year-old girl named Mehri. His plan is to leave Soraya with the girls and take the boys.

What is the dark secret that Zahra tries to tell Freidoune about the village?

Zahra tries to tell Freidoune that the village hides very dark secrets, but she is interrupted and unable to disclose the specifics.

What is the punishment for infidelity according to the script and who is accused of it?

The punishment for infidelity is stoning, and Soraya is accused of it by her husband Ali.

How does Ali manipulate Hashem into lying about Soraya's behavior?

Ali and Sheik threaten Hashem, saying they will send his son to a mental hospital or prison if he doesn't lie about Soraya sleeping in his bed and treating him as her husband.

What is the significance of the tape recorder in Freidoune's bag?

The tape recorder is significant as it is used by Zahra to record her story about the events in the village, which Freidoune later publishes as a book.

What happens to Soraya after she is found guilty of infidelity?

After being found guilty, Soraya is sentenced to be stoned to death, which is carried out by the villagers.

How does the story of Soraya's stoning reach the world?

The story reaches the world through Freidoune, who records Zahra's account, escapes the village with the tape, and publishes it as an international bestseller.

What is the role of the Revolutionary Guards in the script?

The Revolutionary Guards, under Sheik's command, threaten Freidoune with their weapons to make him hand over his bag containing the tapes of Zahra's story.

Outlines

00:00

📽️ Introduction to 'The Stoning of Soraya M'

The script begins with a recap of the 2008 drama film 'The Stoning of Soraya M', setting the stage for a tale of tragedy and injustice. French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam's car breaks down, leading him to the village of Kuhpayeh. Here, he encounters Zahra, who is seen burying evidence of a dark secret. Despite initial resistance from the locals, Freidoune becomes involved in the village's story, particularly after Zahra tries to share the village's secrets with him. The village elders, Sheik Hassan and Mayor Ebrahim, are wary of Freidoune's presence, hinting at underlying tensions.

05:03

🏘️ The Village's Dark Secret Unfolds

This paragraph delves into the village's dark secret, focusing on the story of Soraya Manutchehri, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. Her husband, Ali, seeks to divorce her to marry a younger girl, Mehri. Soraya resists the divorce due to financial concerns and the wellbeing of her children. Ali manipulates the village's religious leader, Sheik, to pressure Soraya into accepting the divorce. Zahra, Soraya's aunt, tries to intervene but is thwarted by the village elders. The narrative builds tension as Ali's accusations of Soraya's infidelity lead to a trial, despite the lack of substantial evidence.

🗣️ The Accusation and Trial of Soraya

The paragraph continues with the development of the false accusations against Soraya, orchestrated by Ali and supported by coerced testimony from Hashem. The trial is a sham, with the verdict predetermined by those who stand to gain from Soraya's conviction. Despite Zahra's efforts to defend Soraya and Hashem's reluctance to lie, the trial proceeds, and Soraya is found guilty based on fabricated evidence. The community is complicit in the rush to judgment, revealing a deep-seated bias and a tragic miscarriage of justice.

💔 The Stoning and Aftermath

This paragraph describes the brutal stoning of Soraya, a punishment based on the false accusations of infidelity. The community, including her own family, participates in the execution. The paragraph captures the raw emotion of the event, from Soraya's final moments with her daughters to the community's callous disregard for her pleas of innocence. After her death, there is a sense of closure for some and a deepening of the tragedy for others, particularly as the truth begins to unravel and the community's complicity is exposed.

🚗 Freidoune's Escape and the Story's Legacy

The final paragraph concludes the story with Freidoune's narrow escape from the village, carrying with him the evidence of Soraya's tragic story. Despite the village elders' attempts to silence him, Freidoune manages to leave with the tape recording of Zahra's account. The story ends on a hopeful note as Zahra ensures that the truth will be heard, symbolizing the power of storytelling to expose injustice and bring about change. Freidoune's eventual publication of the story as a book signifies the global impact of Soraya's plight.

Keywords

💡Drama film

A drama film is a genre of movie that is designed to tell a story with strong emotional content, often focusing on complex characters and their interpersonal relationships. In the context of the video, 'The Stoning of Soraya M.' is a drama film that explores the tragic consequences of cultural and legal practices on an individual's life.

💡French-Iranian journalist

This term refers to a character in the film who is of both French and Iranian descent and works as a journalist. The character, Freidoune Sahebjam, plays a crucial role in uncovering the dark secrets of the village, which is central to the film's narrative.

💡Abuse

Abuse is the improper treatment of someone that causes physical or psychological harm. In the script, Soraya is married to an abusive man, Ali, whose actions are a driving force behind the tragic events that unfold, illustrating the theme of domestic violence.

💡Divorce

Divorce is the legal termination of a marriage. In the video, Ali's desire to divorce Soraya is a pivotal plot point, as it sets off a chain of events that lead to Soraya's wrongful accusation and punishment.

💡Infidelity

Infidelity refers to a breach of trust in a marriage, typically involving one partner engaging in a romantic or sexual relationship outside the marriage. Ali accuses Soraya of infidelity with Hashem, which is a false accusation that leads to her trial and eventual stoning.

💡Stoning

Stoning is a form of capital punishment where a group throws stones at a person until they die. The stoning of Soraya M. is the central event of the film, highlighting the harsh and inhumane punishment that can result from false accusations and a flawed legal system.

💡Village

A village is a small community that is typically found in rural areas. In the script, the village of Kuhpayeh is the setting for the film, and its inhabitants and their beliefs play a significant role in the story's outcome.

💡Mullah

A mullah is a Muslim scholar or cleric who is an authority on Islamic law. In the video, Sheik Hassan is the mullah who becomes involved in Ali's plot against Soraya, demonstrating the influence of religious figures in the community's legal matters.

💡Rumors

Rumors are unverified stories or pieces of information that spread from person to person. In the script, rumors about Soraya's supposed infidelity are used as a tool by Ali to manipulate public opinion and justify her trial.

💡Trial

A trial is a formal examination of evidence before a judge and jury to determine guilt or innocence in a legal case. Soraya's trial is a key element in the film, as it showcases the process that leads to her wrongful conviction.

💡Innocence

Innocence is the state of being free from guilt or sin. The concept of innocence is central to the film, as Soraya is falsely accused and ultimately punished despite her innocence, highlighting the theme of injustice.

Highlights

The film begins with a French-Iranian journalist, Freidoune Sahebjam, whose car breaks down in Iran, leading him to the village of Kuhpayeh.

Zahra, who has a dark secret to share, tries to approach Freidoune but is interrupted by the village's mullah and mayor.

Freidoune is offered help by Zahra, who throws him a paper ball with a bone and a map to her house, indicating a hidden story.

Zahra's niece, Soraya, is revealed to be in an abusive marriage with Ali, who wants to divorce her to marry a younger girl.

Ali manipulates Sheik Hassan into pressuring Soraya to accept the divorce under the threat of revealing his criminal past.

Soraya is offered a deal by Sheik Hassan to become his temporary wife in exchange for financial support, which is rejected by Zahra.

Ali turns his own sons against Soraya by accusing her of shaming him and discussing his desire to marry another woman in front of them.

Soraya's bravery is shown when she stands up to Ali's abuse and leaves the house with her daughters to seek help from Zahra.

Zahra's attempt to gain the mayor's favor by reminding him of their past relationship is a pivotal moment in the narrative.

Soraya starts working for Hashem, gaining his appreciation and improving her situation, while Ali watches from afar.

Ali conspires with Sheik to accuse Soraya of infidelity with Hashem, leading to a trial that could result in stoning.

Hashem is coerced into lying about Soraya's supposed infidelity under the threat of his son's well-being.

Soraya is found guilty of infidelity and sentenced to stoning, despite her pleas of innocence and Zahra's attempts to save her.

The stoning scene is a brutal depiction of the villagers' collective punishment of Soraya, including her own family.

The film's climax shows Zahra's desperate attempt to protect Soraya during the stoning, highlighting the theme of injustice.

Freidoune records Zahra's story, capturing the essence of the village's dark secret and Soraya's tragic fate.

The aftermath of Soraya's death reveals the villagers' reactions, including the mayor's anger and the artist's silent protest.

Freidoune's escape with the tape and Zahra's sacrifice to protect him symbolize the struggle for truth and justice.

The film concludes with Freidoune's successful publication of the story, bringing international attention to Soraya's plight.

Transcripts

Welcome back to Movie Recaps. Today I will show  you a 2008 drama film, titled The Stoning of  

Soraya M. Spoilers ahead! Watch out and take care. French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam  

is traveling through Iran when his car  breaks down. He waits by the road for a  

couple of hours until a small bus comes by that  accepts to pull his car to the nearest village,  

Kuhpayeh. All this is seen by Zahra, who has  visited the river to bury some bones and clothing  

shreds that almost got eaten by the wolves. She  rushes back to town to see Freidoune leave his  

car with the local mechanic Hashem, who at first  does not want to take the job, but changes his  

mind when Freidoune gives him some extra dollars.  Zahra notices he keeps a tape recorder in his bag  

and tries to approach him to tell him the village  hides very dark secrets, but she is interrupted by  

the town's mullah, Sheik Hassan and the mayor,  Ebrahim, who call her crazy and send her away.  

The two men are noticeably uncomfortable  with Freidoune's presence in their village,  

and after asking him some personal questions,  they try to get him to have lunch with them,  

but Freidoune turns them down and goes to a café  alone. There, he is approached by Zahra again,  

who throws at him a little paper ball  containing a bone and a map to her house.  

Freidoune decides to play along and visit her  while making sure nobody has followed him.  

After sending his niece's young girls back into  the house, she makes tea and asks Freidoune to  

please listen to her story, which he accepts  and prepares an empty tape to record it with.  

It all started some weeks ago. Zahra had a niece,  Soraya Manutchehri, who was married to an abusive  

man called Ali. They have four kids together,  two boys and two girls, but their relationship  

is non-existent. Ali wants to divorce Soraya  so he can marry a fourteen-year-old girl,  

Mehri, but Soraya will not give it to him  because she can't maintain the family by herself.  

Ali tries to get Sheik to talk to her, and when  he refuses, he threatens him with revealing to  

the village his past as a convict, so Sheik has  no other option but to accept. Sheik visits Soraya  

at her home and, unaware at first that Zahra  is around listening to their conversation,  

he tries to remind her of her duties as a wife,  which if she can not fulfill, then the best idea  

is to accept the divorce. Ali will allow her  to keep the girls while he takes the boys,  

and Zahra can keep the house as well, but  this is not enough for them to survive.  

Sheik decides to add a little extra offer then:  he can provide for her and her daughters and while  

doing so, he can visit Soraya and she can be a  kind of temporary wife for him. At that moment,  

Zahra steps in and kicks him out after yelling  at him for treating her niece as a harlot.  

Once he is gone, Zahra asks Soraya about  her relationship with Ali, and her answer  

is to show her the bruises he leaves on  her body whenever he takes what he wants.  

Some hours later, while Soraya and her kids are  sharing a meal, Ali returns home and yells at her,  

saying she has shamed him and made him the town's  laughingstock for not accepting the divorce.  

He starts talking to his two boys about all they  could do if they were able to leave, turning them  

against her for not wanting the divorce and not  having an ounce of shame when mentioning Mehri in  

front of his children. Soraya starts accusing Ali  of being a bad husband for wanting to abandon her  

and the girls without providing for them, but her  oldest son cuts in, yelling at her and telling her  

not to speak like that to a man. Ali orders her  to clean the table, and feeling furious at the  

situation, Soraya throws a plate on the floor,  smashing it into pieces. When Ali tells her she  

owes him money for that, she finally reaches her  limit, so she grabs her girls and tries to leave  

the house. Ali hits her twice, trying to scare  her into staying, but Soraya stays brave and  

leaves with her daughters to stay at Zahra's, who  promises to speak to the mayor to get his help.  

She thinks she may gain his favor because he used  to be into her and even tried to marry her once.  

Their talk is suddenly interrupted by Hashem, who  comes asking for Zahra's help with his terribly  

sick wife, since the doctor is out of town.  On the way to his house, Zahra sees Ali in his  

car with another woman, but for now, she must  concentrate on Hashem's wife. Sadly however,  

there is nothing Zahra can do: she is already dead  by the time they get there. She spends the night  

getting her ready for burial as tradition demands,  and in the morning, Soraya comes to help, kicking  

out all the women that already trying to take the  wife's belongings without respecting her death,  

claiming Hashem won't need them. Once she's done  with the body, Zahra is called over by Sheik,  

who tells her Hashem can't take care of his house  and his son alone, so it would be a good idea for  

Soraya to help him. Zahra accepts to talk to her  only if her niece will get a wage for this work,  

money that will only be hers and Ali can't  touch. Sheik accepts the deal. As Zahra leaves  

the building, she's stopped by Ebrahim, who warns  her to watch her mouth or she will get in trouble.  

Soraya begins to work with Hashem, quickly gaining  both his and his son's appreciation, unaware that  

Ali is always watching them interact from afar.  Hashem treats Soraya well, and this puts her in  

a better mood. She starts making her own clothes  and gives some of her money to Zahra, who hides it  

and saves it so in the future she can finally  have enough to divorce Ali and still support  

her daughters. One night, Ali talks to Sheik and  tells him he thinks Soraya is cheating on him with  

Hashem. The punishment for infidelity is stoning,  so Sheik thinks Ali is going too far with these  

accusations, knowing Soraya isn't the type to do  this kind of thing. Ali just says he doesn't want  

to pay for her support and promises he'll find a  witness so they can take this to trial, but first,  

he is going to start a rumor about Soraya's night  visits in their little town. The following day,  

while helping at the bakery, Zahra already hears  those rumors coming from the other women's mouths.  

Soraya has a day off so she goes on a picnic with  her daughters and picks up some flowers that she  

later takes to Hashem's house as decoration. When  he returns home earlier than she expected, he  

invites her to stay over for dinner, but she turns  him down even after hearing he hates to eat alone.  

The following day, Zahra sees Ali and  Sheik having a meeting with Ebrahim,  

who will only accept to put Soraya on trial  if he receives actual proof or witnesses.  

Afterward, Zahra tries to talk to him as well,  accusing him of plotting with Ali and slapping him  

on the face when he implies Soraya may be sleeping  with Hashem. After calling him Ali's slave,  

Zahra goes to see Soraya and tries to warn her of  what is going on, but Soraya thinks her aunt is  

just being paranoid. Meanwhile, Hashem is called  to have a meeting with Ali and Sheik so they can  

ask him about Soraya's behavior around him. These  questions make him uncomfortable, and the fact  

they offer him a contract he can't read doesn't  help matters, so he decides to leave. However,  

Ali and Sheik follow him home and threaten to  send his kid to a mental hospital or prison if he  

doesn't accept to be a witness on Soraya's trial.  Not wanting his son to suffer, Hashem gives up and  

accepts to lie for them, saying Soraya sleeps in  his bed and talks to him as if he was her husband.  

Moments later, Ali shows up at Soraya's house  and drags her out to the streets, hitting her in  

front of a crowd while accusing her of cheating on  him. Zahra jumps in and gets between her and Ali,  

calling him out for making such a public show  out of a private matter. After asking one of her  

neighbors to get the mayor, Zahra takes Soraya  to hide her in her house, and Ali follows them  

there. Ebrahim arrives soon afterward and hears  Ali present the proof of Soraya's infidelity:  

he saw them touching hands and whispering  to each other like a couple while smiling.  

Soraya swears she never cheated, and Zahra  points out it isn't a crime to be nice to people,  

but at that moment, Hashem arrives and tells  the lies Ali had manipulated him into saying.  

This is enough for Ebrahim to pursue a trial.  He, Ali, his friends and sons, Sheik, and even  

Soraya's father Morteza Ramazani are allowed to  assist, but Soraya herself must wait at home.  

A couple of hours later, the verdict is announced  by her own father: Soraya has been found guilty,  

and she'll be stoned in an hour. When the news  reaches Zahra's home, she tries to help Soraya  

escape, but there are men outside that push them  back into the house. Accepting her fate, Soraya  

says goodbye to her daughters by giving them  her old family jewelry, and Zahra accepts taking  

care of them when she's gone and one day, telling  them the truth of what happened to their mother.  

In the meantime, the village men get ready for the  stoning by picking up rocks and digging a hole.  

Even the kids are helping while Sheik gets his  beard trimmed and Ebrahim prays to his god,  

asking for a sign that he's doing the right  thing. Soraya's youngest son comes to say  

goodbye as well, but the oldest still hates her  and takes his brother away. As Soraya finally  

breaks down and starts crying, Zahra tries to  offer one last moment of comfort by brushing her  

hair and singing a song for her. When the time  comes, the two of them walk through the streets  

together while doing their best to dodge the angry  mob of men that want to insult and hit Soraya.  

Once they reach the place where the event will  happen, Sheik and Ebrahim once again announce  

the verdict and method of punishment, causing  the crowd to cheer. They're suddenly interrupted  

though, by a group of traveling artists that want  to perform in the market, but they're kicked out  

before they can do anything. After removing her  chador and revealing a white dress, Soraya is tied  

up and lowered into a hole on the ground, which  is then filled up again until only the upper half  

of her body is sticking out and she has no chance  to escape. Zahra tries to get between her and the  

mob, asking them to let her take Soraya's place,  but she's dragged away so the stoning can begin.  

The first two stones are thrown by Morteza,  who doesn't consider her his daughter anymore,  

but he fails both times. One of the women in the  crowd considers this may be a sign that she's  

innocent, but she is ignored. Ali goes next and  his stones do hit, making Soraya cry and bleed.  

Sheik goes next, and after him, both of Soraya's  sons throw stones at her too. Hashem is also given  

a turn, but he can't bring himself to do it,  so he leaves the area with his son before the  

whole crowd joins in and throws stones at  her until she dies. After everyone leaves,  

the traveling performers cover her with a blanket.  Later in the evening, Zahra and her friends take  

the body to leave it near the river while the  town celebrates. Back in the present, Freidoune  

finishes recording Zahra's story and takes the  tape out of the recorder, leaving it on the table,  

right before Hashem comes to tell him his car is  ready. As they return to the repair shop, they  

see Ali driving by and hear him say to Sheik that  his wedding to Mehri has been canceled because he  

couldn't help her father, which was part of the  deal for him to get her hand. This upsets Hashem,  

who comments he's lied for nothing, gaining  Ebrahim's attention. Hashem admits having lied  

and being threatened by Ali and Sheik, and this  enrages Ebrahim, who wants to call out Sheik for  

it. However, this will have to be discussed later:  right now, they must stop Freidoune from leaving.  

The journalist ignores them and gets in his  car, but Sheik has some Revolutionary Guards  

under his command, and they threatened Freidoune  with their weapons to make him hand them his bag.  

He's only allowed to leave after they destroy all  their tapes, but on his way out of town, Zahra  

gives him the tape he left at her house. The car  starts malfunctioning again, so she gets between  

him and the crowd to give him time to get it to  take off. Freidoune manages to get away regardless  

of the stones thrown at him, and Zahra celebrates  the fact the story will reach the whole world.  

Freidoune would later publish the story as a book,  which has become an international bestseller.