Kazakh travel blogger Dastan Mukhamedrakhim (ByDastann) and internationally renowned documentary filmmaker Joe Hattab (joe_hattab) have announced the premiere of a documentary film about Kazakhstan. The feature-length production will be released on 8 August and will introduce a global audience of millions to the country’s natural heritage, cultural traditions, and key tourist attractions, El.kz reports.
The filmmakers have released a short teaser featuring footage from Astana and announced that the full documentary will premiere on 8 August.
The project is the result of a collaboration between Kazakh content creator Dastan Mukhamedrakhim, widely known by his online name ByDastann, and one of the world’s most prominent travel documentary filmmakers, Joe Hattab. The film is expected to present a comprehensive portrayal of Kazakhstan, highlighting its landscapes, cultural heritage, and traditions.
Who Is Joe Hattab?
Joe Hattab is widely recognized as one of the leading Arab travel documentary filmmakers of his generation. His combined audience across digital platforms exceeds 44 mln followers.
Born in Jordan and raised in Saudi Arabia, he is currently based in Dubai. Before pursuing a career in filmmaking, Hattab worked as an accountant. He later chose to change his professional path, embarking on international travel and producing documentary films exploring countries and cultures around the world.
His documentaries are produced in English, enabling him to build a substantial international audience across North America, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.
Why his documentaries attract millions of viewers
Unlike many travel content creators, Joe Hattab focuses on documentary storytelling and the experiences of local communities. His films extend beyond well-known tourist destinations to explore local customs, everyday life, cultural practices, and locations that are generally inaccessible to most travelers.
Among his most notable productions are documentaries on daily life in North Korea, reports from some of the world’s most overcrowded prisons, stories about isolated indigenous communities, investigations into illicit arms manufacturing, and other remote or restricted locations. The combination of high production standards and in-depth reporting has earned his documentaries tens of millions of views.
What to expect from the documentary on Kazakhstan
During their journey across Kazakhstan, Joe Hattab and Dastan Mukhamedrakhim visited several regions of the country.
The filmmakers travelled to a zhailau (traditional summer pasture) in the foothills of the Alatau Mountains, where they experienced elements of Kazakhstan’s nomadic heritage, wore traditional national attire, and participated in the traditional practice of eagle hunting with a golden eagle.
One of the key destinations featured in the documentary was the Baikonur Cosmodrome, where the filmmaker was given access to the legendary Soviet Buran space shuttle. The production team also visited the Bozzhyra tract in the Mangystau region, renowned for its distinctive geological landscapes and widely recognized as one of Kazakhstan’s most iconic natural landmarks.
