Nomad (2005)

The Kazakh steppe in the 1700s is divided among rival clans while the Dzungar empire presses in from the east. A wise mystic, Oraz, foretells that a boy named Mansur will one day unite the tribes, and takes him away to be trained as a warrior. As Mansur grows up alongside his friend Erali, he must prove himself in battle, survive betrayal and lead his people against their enemies. Nomad was the most expensive film ever made in Kazakhstan, shot across the country's vast landscapes with thousands of extras and horsemen, and was Kazakhstan's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Its hero is based on Ablai Khan, a revered figure in Kazakh history.