SpIFF on Eventive

Ala Kachuu, Elevate, and Toad (Mid-Lengths)

Expired February 16, 2022 8:00 AM
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Ala Kachuu (Switzerland, on the shortlist for best short at the Academy Awards) headlines this collection of mid-length films, which also includes Elevate (United States), and Toad (United States).

Sezim (19) wants to fulfil her dream of studying in the Kyrgyz capital when she gets kidnapped by a group of young men and taken to the hinterland. There she’s forced to marry a stranger. If she refuses the marriage, she is threatened with social stigmatization and exclusion. Torn between her desire for freedom and the constraints of Kyrgyz culture, Sezim desperately seeks for a way out.


Ala Kachuu is on the shortlist for the Academy Award for Best Short Film.

  • Year
    2021
  • Runtime
    38 minutes
  • Language
    Kirghiz
  • Country
    Switzerland
  • Director
    Maria Brendle
  • Screenwriter
    Maria Brendle
  • Producer
    Nadine Lüchinger, Flavio Gerber
  • Cast
    Alina Turdumamatova, Nurbek Esengazy Uulu, Madina Talipbek
  • Cinematographer
    Gabriel Sandru
  • Editor
    Luca Zuberbühler
  • Sound Design
    Michael Duss