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 - Take and Run tells the story of a young Kyrgyz woman who becomes the victim of a bride kidnapping. Although this custom is prohibited by law in Kyrgyzstan it is still widespread in other regions of the world under the guise of tradition. Only a few girls are able to escape marriage after the kidnapping. Many accept their fate, for fear of being rejected and ostracized.

The film is based on the true fates of young women who have confided their experiences to me during my many years of research. I am convinced that the stories of these women deserve attention. As a filmmaker, I would like to contribute to the sensitization of society for women's rights and give a voice to those who are rarely heard. The Kyrgyz name for the bride kidnapping is «Ala Kachuu». My aim was to depict its usual course of events, but with a strong character who has the courage to stand up for herself.