Oscar-Nominated Live Action Shorts Tell Wrenching Stories in Small Packages

variety.com:

Wilson Chapman editorThe five films nominated for live-action short at this year’s Oscars were shot and produced in five different countries around the world, and tell stories that have little in common with each other, from a satire to a romantic drama.

But all were labors of love from talented directors who had to deal with numerous obstacles to get there, whether it was a limited budget or short-shooting times or harsh shooting conditions.

The results are all deeply thought-provoking films, ones that reflect the issues and beliefs important to the storytellers behind them.Ala Kachuu — Take and Run Director: Maria BrendleZurich-based director Brendle was inspired after learning about the practice of ala kachuu in which thousands of women are kidnapped and forced into marriages in Kyrgyzstan, although it’s officially outlawed by the government.

Brendle wanted to give a voice to these victims. Her short, “Ala Kachuu — Take and Run,” is a wrenching drama about a young woman Sezim (Alina Turdumamatova) from a traditional Krygyz family who is kidnapped by a man she doesn’t know and forced by his family and hers to marry him.