Sonita Parent Guide

Sonita
Rating & Content Info

Why is Sonita rated Not Rated? Sonita is rated Not Rated by the MPAA

Overview:
This subtitled documentary shows one young woman’s experience and fight against the practice of selling girls into marriage.

Violence: B-
Discussions occur about families threatening and beating their non-compliant daughters. A girl with a bruised face won’t talk about why her brother hit her. Dowries/bride prices are compared and negotiated. A girl is expected to be sold as a bride so her mother can pay the dowery for her brother’s wife. Bribes are paid. Taliban violence and enforcement of rules is mentioned. Re-enacting violent events that happened in a child’s past is used as part of therapy: a girl depicts how men held guns to the heads of her family members. The war in Afghanistan is talked about, and armed security guards and air surveillance is shown. A woman, who must travel back to Afghanistan to obtain a birth certificate and passport, faces the real possibility that she may not be allowed to leave the country again. Make-up is used to simulate bruises and a bloody cut on the face of a young woman who is creating a rap-music video as part of a social justice message. Rules are broken, such as getting permits from the government or asking parental permission.

Sexual Content: B
The realities of female oppression (woman are not allowed to sing professionally, or choose whom they will marry) are portrayed. The practice of selling young, teenaged girls into marriage to men that are strangers and/or much older than the brides is discussed. The practice of taking second wives is mentioned.

Language: A-
A few terms of deity are used as expletives.

Alcohol / Drug Use: B
A woman uses a hookah pipe on a couple of occasions.

Page last updated July 17, 2017

News About "Sonita"

Learn more about Sonita Alizadeh and watch her music video: Brides for Sale.

Read about Sonita’s appearance at the 2015 Women of the World Conference.

Cast and Crew

Sonita is directed by Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami and stars Sonita Alizadeh.

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