Synopsis
There’s a Kyrgyz saying that every good marriage starts with tears. If true, it applies to many marriages in Kyrgyzstan, as it is estimated that around half start with the illegal kidnapping of the bride. A group of men capture a woman on the street and drag her to her new “home”, where preparations for a wedding are underway. Only very few kidnapped brides withstand the humiliating treatment; they also fear that they will not find a husband later because of the stigma. The kidnapping allows the groom to prove his manliness; he also avoids paying the traditional bride price to his chosen one’s parents. This shocking film provides a close-up look at a tradition that proves that women in Kyrgyzstan are still seen as men’s trophies.
Director Biography
Roser Corella (Barcelona, 1978) is an independent filmmaker, currently based in Berlin. Roser began her career as video-journalist for the Catalan TV, but her interest in human stories behind global issues moved her to start self-producing and developing a personal vision within the documentary field. Her work has been shown worldwide, winning awards such as POYI – Picture of the Year International in the USA, and CANAL+ France Award at Women’s Film Festival of Créteil. Her fascination for the documentary genre has led her to travel the world in search of stories that deserve to be told. Not only to witness but to challenge and raise critical questions about contemporary societies.
Roser Corella