By: tiffreviews
indieWIRE - Cyrus Nowrasteh’s “The Stoning of Soraya M.” will be having its World Premiere in the Discovery section of the Toronto International Film Festival. Starring Shohreh Aghdashloo, the film follows a woman falsely accused of adultery in a remote Iranian village. Based on the book by Freidoune Sahebjam, TIFF describes “Stoning” as about “voiceless women, armed with only their innocence and dignity, [who] are no match for the overwhelming primal forces that overrun their town.” Nowrasteh talked to indieWIRE about the film and his hopes for Toronto.
What initially attracted you to filmmaking and did that interest evolve while making your film?
As long as I remember I’ve been interested in filmmaking, going back to my childhood watching greats like “Lawrence of Arabia.” My interest in it is ceaseless, so I can’t say it evolved while making this film, however my knowledge, preparation, approach, and skill evolves with each film I make.
Please discuss how the idea for your film came about…
It’s based on the book by Freidoune Sahebjam which my wife and I read in the early 1990’s. It’s a dramatic gem in many ways, and it stuck with both of us. A few years ago when its relevancy seemed greater than ever, we decided to try to get the rights to the book and write it independently… [Full Story]






