Kazakhstan aims to develop its film tourism industry, positioning itself as an attractive destination for international filmmakers. Potential filming locations include the forests of Eastern Kazakhstan, the outskirts of Ridder and Ust-Kamenogorsk and the Burabay National Park, according to Kazakh Tourism.
What is film tourism?
Film tourism is a form of travel centered around visiting locations featured in films and TV shows. Tourists are drawn to recognizable settings and often recreate scenes from their favorite movies.
What international films are planned for shooting in Kazakhstan?
Kazakhstan is seen as a promising filming destination thanks to its diverse landscapes — ranging from steppes and deserts to forests, lakes and mountains — all accessible within one or two days of travel.
While Kazakhstan has already hosted international movie productions, the country’s goal is to attract big international film projects. To that end, Nadira Akhonova, Kazakhstan’s media tourism ambassador, and American actor and screenwriter Trevor Morgan Doyle met with representatives of major streaming platforms and production centers at the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival.
One of the potential partners for Kazakhstan is Spanish director Martín Rosete, known for his genre films. His 2016 thriller «Money» was distributed by 20th Century Fox and Netflix. In 2019, he directed the romantic drama «Remember Me,» starring Bruce Dern and Brian Cox. Rosete’s next film is expected to be partially shot in Kazakhstan and the Canary Islands.
Kazakhstan may also become the shooting location for a film about Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä. The plot happens in snowy forests between 1939 and 1940, landscapes the country can offer. Toni Kurkimäki is set to direct this biographical film.
«The experiences of New Zealand — where ‘The Lord of the Rings’ was filmed — and Croatia — home to scenes from ‘Game of Thrones’ — demonstrate how cinema can enhance a region’s tourism appeal,» Akhonova said.
International movies already shot in Kazakhstan
So far, primarily Russian directors have considered the country as a filming location.
For example, prominent Russian director Sergei Bodrov Sr. filmed «Mongol» in Kazakhstan. Sergei Dvortsevoy’s «Tulpan,» shot in the Betpak-Dala steppes, was released in 2008. In 2011, a Kazakh-Russian film starring Elizaveta Boyarskaya was released, shot near Ridder.
In 2014, Netflix released the series «Marco Polo,» with many outdoor scenes filmed in the Charyn Canyon and the outskirts of the villages of Shoshanay and Alsa.
More recently, «Bikechess» — a Kazakh-French-Norwegian co-production—was partially filmed in Kazakhstan in 2024. «Adam Bol,» the first joint production with Nigeria, also premiered, marking a new type of international collaboration that goes beyond traditional economic cooperation.
