Amnesty International: Sensationalist Film Exploits Human Rights Issue In Iran
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from The Huffington Post, discussing the characters and representation of Iranians in “The Stoning of Soraya M.” The article is written by Elise Auerbach, Amnesty International Iran Specialist.
Causecast has previously posted exclusive video from the film and promoted a Facebook chat with writer/director Cyrus Nowrasteh. Amnesty International is one of our featured organizations, and we feel that our readership is best served by having multiple perspectives addressed on this issue.
Ordinarily, human rights activists would be pleased when the rare major motion picture shining a light on human rights violations comes along. In fact, aside from documentaries, it is very unusual to see issues that Amnesty International has worked on appear on film. However, sometimes a film can so distort an important human rights issue that it may do more harm than good to the cause.
Sadly, this is the case with the new movie opening this Friday, The Stoning of Soraya M, the purportedly true story of the brutal execution by stoning of an innocent Iranian village woman. For one thing, the film is marked by crude story-telling: the main character, Soraya, is merely a mutely suffering victim while her brutish husband, who falsely accuses her of adultery so that he can marry a teen-aged girl, is a cardboard caricature of evil and malice. More importantly, aside from the numerous inaccuracies and implausibilities, the climax of the film — a bloody and prolonged stoning scene with villagers mercilessly pelting the victim — is so sensationalized that the audience response is likely to be disgust and revulsion at Iranians themselves, who are portrayed as primitive and blood-thirsty savages.
Continue reading at The Huffington Post
Image from The Stoning of Soraya M., courtesy of Mpower pictures
- Posted by Causecast
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