"It is the most powerful movie I've ever seen. I will never be the same."
                 - Jamie Metrick from www.andthewinneris.com

 


Join Cyrus Nowrasteh (director), Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (lead actress), and Oscar nominee John Debney (composer) for a special Orange County screening of The Stoning of Soraya M.

Tickets are free. Seating is limited.

DATE: Friday, October 17th
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: The Folino Theater
ADDRESS: 283 N. Cypress Street, Orange, CA 92866

The Folino Theater is located inside the Marion Knott Studios at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts on the campus of Chapman University.


RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKETS TODAY



WATCH THE TRAILER




READ THE SYNOPSIS

Stranded in a remote Iranian village, a French journalist is approached by Zahra, a woman who has a harrowing tale to tell about her niece, Soraya, and the bloody circumstances of her death the day before...

As the journalist turns on his tape recorder, Zahra takes us back to the beginning of her story which involves Soraya's husband, the local phony mullah, and a town all too easily led down a path of deceit, coercion, and hysteria. The women, stripped of all rights and without recourse, nobly confront the overwhelming desires of corrupt men who use and abuse their authority to condemn Soraya, an innocent but inconvenient wife, to an unjust and torturous death.

A shocking and true drama, it exposes the dark power of mob rule, uncivil law, and the utter lack of human rights for women. The last and only hope for some measure of justice lies in the hands of the journalist who must escape with the story -- and his life -- so the world will know.


LISTEN TO ACTRESS SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO




READ THE REVIEWS

Stoning the the 21st Century
By Maggie Gallagher

Film Review: The Stoning of Soraya M.
By Ed Morrissey, HotAir.com

SHOHREH: THE REAL DEAL
By Scott Feinberg, And the Winner Is...

Iranian Justice: The stoning of Soraya M
By Michelle D. Bernard, dcexaminer.com

Film Review: The Stoning of Soraya M.
Bottom Line: A shocking yet stately and powerful plea for women's rights
By Peter Brunette, The Hollywood Reporter

The Stoning of Soraya M in Iran: Not America's Fault
By Phyllis Chesler

ARTICLE: Persian Mirror

ARTICLE: Toronto Ends with Kudos to its Prizewinners

"The most coveted among Toronto's awards is its Cadillac Audience Award - given on the basis of the votes given by audiences to each film that they view......."

"Even the Runner's Up for the Audience Award are seen as box-office and Oscar winners. This year's runners up were More Than A Game, by Kristopher Belman and The Stoning Of Soraya M, by Cyrus Nowrasteh. Some of the earlier winners in this category were Eastern Promises, Diva, Chariots Of Fire, Tsotsi, Hotel Rwanda and Whale Rider."  

READ THE INTERVIEW WITH CYRUS NOWRASTEH

Interview with Cyrus Nowrasteh
By IndiWIRE


MEET THE CAST & CREW

Shohreh Aghdashloo - Zahra
Academy Award Nominated
A prominent actress on both stage and screen, Shohreh Aghdashloo has portrayed a vast array of complex and powerful characters throughout her career.
 
Jim Caviezel
Versatile and intense Jim Caviezel earned his breakthrough acting role as brooding pacifist Private Witt in Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line, alongside Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, and Adrien Brody.

 
Mozhan Marnò - Soraya
A fierce combination of talent, intelligence and beauty, Los Angeles native Mozhan Marnò is well on her way to a major career in acting.

 
Cyrus Nowrasteh - Writer, Director
Cyrus Nowrasteh was born in Boulder, Colorado of Iranian parents, and lived in Iran as a young boy. A graduate of the USC cinema program, he has worked in the motion picture and television business for over 20 years.
 
Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh - Writer
Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in Shaker Heights. She received her B.A. in Creative Writing from Miami University of Ohio and moved to Los Angeles when she was 22 where she worked as a production artist and copywriter in film advertising.


ABOUT THE PRODUCERS

Prime Meridian Pictures, LLC was formed by Cyrus Nowrasteh, Tracy K. Price, and Thomas J. Papa as a film production and investment company that sources and targets drama genre film investments with a keen eye on financing, producing and/or distributing edgy, researched, provocative, and most importantly entertaining stories that unify America and American audiences with the rest of the world, celebrating internationally shared values and traditions, to show how small and "connected" we all are in terms of human hopes and aspirations for liberty. These stories need to be entertaining, life-affirming, and cross-cultural. Not fantasy, not comic book, animation, or children's stories -- but adult, classical dramas that celebrate liberty, initiative, value heroes, self-reliance, and traditional themes.

Whether true or fiction, historical or contemporary, Prime Meridian will bring to the screen mature narratives that bear relevance to today, that respect the intelligence of the viewer, that probe instead of preach, and that present honest depictions of ourselves, the world, and the importance of mutually shared basic values. In short, we want to tell great stories with great themes - the kind of movies that made the movies great entertainment throughout the world.

Nominated for numerous Emmy Awards, Cyrus Nowrasteh has worked in the motion picture and television business for 23 years and has been credited as a writer, producer, and director for television series, television miniseries, motion pictures, and cable motion pictures.  His latest film, The Stoning of Soraya M., has garnered strong media attention and industry support for women's and humanitarian rights around the world.  As an Executive Producer, Prime Meridian is proud to be a significant financial and creative supporter for The Stoning of Soraya M.

Contact: ThomasP@PrimeMeridianPictures.com


ABOUT MPOWER PICTURES

At the heart of Mpower Pictures' mission is to create compelling, entertaining content that is bold and uncompromising.  We are poised to impact the culture and the world with powerful stories that inspire and empower a global audience through film, television and media technology.

Mpower Pictures was created to leverage producer Stephen McEveety's knowledge and experience in producing compelling, highly profitable event films and his ability to reach and mobilize audiences across the country.  His producer credits include "The Passion of the Christ," "We Were Soldiers," "Braveheart" and "What Women Want."

Mpower Pictures was founded by Stephen McEveety, John Shepherd and Todd Burns.  Mr. McEveety is CEO of the company, Mr. Shepherd is the president, and Mr. Burns is the COO and legal counsel. 

Mpower Pictures launched with its first film, "Bella" (produced in association with Metanoia Films), taking the top prize at Toronto's International Film Festival: winning the highly coveted and distinctive People's Choice Award.  "Bella" was an outstanding success at the domestic box office. Most recently, Mpower released "An American Carol", a political comedy starring Kelsey Grammer, Leslie Nielson, Trace Adkins, James Woods, Dennis Hopper, Robert Davi, Kevin Farley and Jon Voight; 

"The Stoning of Soraya M." took 2nd Runner-Up in the People's Choice Award in this year's 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.

www.mpowerpictures.com


ABOUT THE DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM & MEDIA ARTS

The Dodge College of Film and Media Arts is recognized as one of the top film schools in the nation.  Located just south of Los Angeles at Chapman University in Orange, California, the Dodge College is comprised of the Sodaro-Pankey Undergraduate School of Media Arts , the Conservatory of Motion Pictures , and the Media and Public Interest Institute . The Dodge College of Film and Media Arts offers many avenues to study cinema through a complete, hands-on curriculum in a facility open 24/7.

Dodge College offers undergraduate degrees in film production , screenwriting, film studies , television and broadcast journalism , public relations and advertising , and digital arts . The Conservatory of Motion Pictures offers several masters degrees in film.  They include M.F.A. degrees in film production , film and television producing , and screenwriting and an M.A. in film studies .  Students in the M.F.A. in film production pursue specializations in directing, cinematography, editing, production design or sound design.

Students take advantage of our location close to Hollywood to pursue internships with studios and production companies.  In addition, major Hollywood directors, cinematographers, editors, and screenwriters are regular guests on campus, giving students the opportunity to learn from the masters.  This direct interaction with major filmmakers is a signature opportunity that has earned Chapman University continuing notice as one of the top film schools in the country.

Check out the latest newsletter:
In Production (Summer 2008)

For more information, visit: http://ftv.chapman.edu/