support THE FEATURE FILM
the last nomad
STAGE: Development
MISSION STATEMENT
Official Movie Poster
We are making this film to preserve what time and silence have tried to erase — the history, memory, and culture of Kazakhstan as lived by ordinary people, not written by empires.
This story comes from my great-grandfather’s diary, hidden inside a wall for fifty years. When I opened it, I didn’t just find words — I found a voice from a land that has carried immense suffering, resilience, and dignity through generations. Written by oil lamp, his pages hold the reality of famine, displacement, war, and survival — but also identity, language, and the quiet strength of a people who refused to disappear.
This is a Kazakh story at its core. Not of rulers or borders, but of shepherds, families, elders, and children — those who lived close to the land and carried culture through hardship. A father who lost everything, yet still preserved names, memories, and truth in writing so they would not be forgotten.
Kazakhstan’s history is not only tragedy — it is endurance. It is songs, language, land, and spirit surviving through forced silence. It is a culture that remained alive even when it was pushed to the edges of history.
This film is an act of cultural memory. A way to return voice to those who were reduced to silence and numbers. To remind the world that Kazakhstan’s past is not a footnote, but a living history carried by real people with real lives.
KAZAKHSTAN HISTORY
Kazakh famine of 1931–1933
The Holodomor-related Soviet collectivization policies is estimated to have killed approximately 1.3 to 1.5 million Kazakhs, with some scholars placing total losses (death + forced migration) as high as 30–40% of the Kazakh population at the time.
Great Purge 1937–1938
During the Great Purge (1937–1938), roughly hundreds of thousands across the USSR were executed or sent to labor camps, including a significant number of Kazakh intellectuals, writers, and cultural leaders who were systematically targeted.
World War II
Kazakhstan contributed more than 1.2 million soldiers, with an estimated 300,000–400,000 killed or missing, deeply impacting entire rural communities and family structures.
Kazakh language and identity
  • Latin script replaced Arabic in 1929
  • Cyrillic imposed in 1940
  • Russian became dominant in administration and education
  • Many traditional cultural and religious practices were restricted or erased from public life
FILM PRODUCTION STAGES
Currently, we are at the Stage One
  • DEVELOPMENT
    Screenplay writing and rewrites
    Story and character development
    Creative concept building
    Pitch deck creation
    Budget planning
    Early visual development
    1
  • PRE-PRODUCTION
    Casting actors
    Location scouting
    Hiring crew
    Production design
    Scheduling and planning
    Legal paperwork and insurance
    Storyboards and shot planning
    2
  • PRODUCTION
    Principal photography
    Directing and cinematography
    Lighting and camera work
    On-set sound recording
    Daily shoot execution and management
    3
  • POST-PRODUCTION
    Video editing
    Color grading
    Sound design and mixing
    Visual effects (if needed)
    Music scoring
    Final mastering and export
    4
  • DISTRIBUTION & FESTIVAL RUN
    Film festival submissions
    Marketing and promotion
    Screenings and premieres
    Online/platform distribution
    Audience release strategy
    5

INCENTIVES

Benefits, opportunities, and rewards provided to team members for being part of the project.

Contributor
$200
Personalized Thank You Message
Exclusive Development Updates
Early Access to Behind-the-Scenes Content
Name Listed on Supporters Page
Digital Copy of the Final Screenplay
Special Thanks Credit
Access to Exclusive Production Updates & Materials
Donate
Special set
$500
Executive Supporter Credit on the Project Website
Invitation to Private Screening or Online Premiere One-on-One Virtual Meeting with the Filmmaker
Early Access to Pitch Decks, Visual Materials, and Development Progress
Donate
TEAM
Meet the creative minds, filmmakers, and collaborators behind the development of the feature film. Our team is dedicated to bringing powerful stories to life through creativity, passion, and cinematic vision.
  • AYAULYM SAYAT
    PRODUCER
    Ayaulym Sayat is a Los Angeles–based producer and writer known for her work in short films and commercials. She has worked extensively in both the United States and Central Asia, bringing a strong cross-cultural perspective to her projects. In Central Asia, she served as a film festival organizer and founded Scenum, a platform dedicated to supporting and empowering emerging filmmakers and young creative voices.
  • ARMAN SAYAT
    DIRECTOR
    Arman Sayat is a Los Angeles–based writer, director, cinematographer, and editor whose work bridges Central Asian and American cultural perspectives. A graduate of the New York Film Academy in LA with an MFA in Filmmaking, he trained across all major disciplines, refining his craft on the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot. His 2023 drama On the Other Side of the Road marked his breakthrough as a writer and cinematographer, earning praise for its emotional depth and visual style. In 2024, he directed the psychological thriller Mr. Nightmare, further establishing his bold, visually driven voice in contemporary cinema.
  • Max Holden
    Founder & Art Director
    Max founded our company. He is the father of our main goals and values. He found the core members of our team and helped them to show their unique talents in the work process.