In a
patriarchal society the subjugation of women is unfortunately considered normal
and a given. Matters become worse if a religious sanction is given to it. In
other words, religion is brought in to licence the cruelty of the male
supremacy.
While such
male dominance is prevalent in all religions across the globe, it is more
pronounced in Islam, especially in theocratic countries.
‘Stoning of
Sorya M’, a 2008 Persian-English film, directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh, is a brutal portrayal of such male dominance at its worst. The
film shocks you beyond measures, not just by certain gory visuals, but by the repugnant
male ego that tries to destroy a helpless and relatively weak female.
Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh
Film Clip
The film is
based on a real life incident written by French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam about the stoning of Soraya
apparently for indulging in adultery, all in the name of religion. While the
film portrays powerfully the dominant masculine and its cruelty, very many
questions remain unanswered.
For example,
for the record, even if the woman is caught in adultery, can she be implicated
in her absence? Can the male decide what is good or bad for the female? Can it
really be true that the male is more equal than the female when both complement each other?
While
stoning of Soraya is the depiction of brutal execution of a ‘gulity’ woman, a
practice apparently present even to this day in Iran, such brutalities – both
physical and mental – take place on a daily basis against women all over the
world. The attempt is not just to subjugate women, but to suppress the feminine
itself. There is a scene in the film where the elder son of Soraya admonishes
the younger one who is saddened by the fact that his mother has to die. He is
told: “Grow up to be a man.” In other words, this elder son and many sons like
him will grow up to be just that, nurturing false male ego to torment and
torture their wives and daughters. They will grow up with a misplaced notion
that anything feminine is inferior to the masculine.
The world
would definitely have been a better place, if the feminine was recognised and
given its due by a world that thinks it thrives on male supremacy.
The two main female characters in the film Soraya and Zahra played respectively by Mozhan Marno and Shohreh Aghdashloo have given a brilliant performance.
- Melwyn Pinto SJ
