Grab and Run

There's a Kyrgyz saying that every good marriage starts with tears. If true, it applies to about half the marriages in Kyrgyzstan, as estimates say that this is how many 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 would 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. (One World)