One Woman’s Escape From Iran

Why did you decide to make this movie?
When I started, I had no idea things would turn out like this. My aim was to bring injustices to light, to make people pay more attention to this. Until 10 days ago, at private screenings people would say, "We thought [stonings] happened in Biblical times. We had no idea it happened now." It was so strange to them. But with now, with what's happened, they are putting the two together.

Had you ever seen a stoning in Iran?
I've seen a real one on tape. A tape that was smuggled out of Iran in the late '80s. It involved two young men, 18 and 19 years old, they were being stoned for being homosexuals. It was a stadium. In a rural society. I was told it was taken in the late '80s and it was filmed inside a sack. They made a hole inside a sack and put a camera there. For the first few minutes, all you see is the back of the people gathering at the stadium. The sad thing is that although they are stoning these two men for having an inappropriate relationship, there are mobs of men kissing each other on the cheeks. Then they start stoning these two men for having an inappropriate relationship. It was killing me. I cannot tell you how graphic the scene was. The people say stoning in the film was graphic; I tell them, "Oh, my God, you have to see the real one." The real one is horrible. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep for days.

Do you think there will be a day you can go back to Iran?
Oh, yes. The day is near. To a free Iran. Now it is more visible to me. Before, it was just an idea, a wish that may come true. Now it's more visible, more tangible. Because of this movement; no matter what, they have decided not to give in. They are going ahead at any price—to gain their basic rights. I have a feeling they're not going to stop.

Do you think the election was stolen?
Oh, definitely. It's pretty obvious that there was a fraud election.

Did you think Ahmadinejad will still be president?
It's hard to know. There are two faces to this coin. One, the movement is crushed by the regime. We would face a more military dictatorship in Iran. Or [two], the movement would win. And they would bring whoever they believe into [the] presidency.

You have a daughter. Do you think she will see your country one day?
I am dying to take my daughter to Iran. I am dying to show her how beautiful and great this country is. I want to show her monuments that are 2,000 years old, take her to Persepolis and show her the country of her ancestors that was the cradle of civilization once.

There have been so many violent images of Iran in the news. Do you have any positive memories of growing up there?
We used to call Tehran the Paris of the Middle East. We bought our beautiful flowers from Holland, wine from France. We enjoyed the certain type of serenity and democracy. We used to recite poems. My favorite one is one of [renowned Persian poet] Rumi's poems. One of the lines that I still remember: "Beyond the notion of right and wrong, there is a garden. My dear friend, would you like to meet me?

© 2009