About us
Building bridges between Central Asian cinema and the world.
Steppefilms.AI is an AI-powered platform connecting Central Asian cinema with international producers, distributors, and investors. We aggregate structured data on films, directors, talent, locations, and production resources across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan — making the region's rich cinematic landscape discoverable and accessible to the global film industry.
Founded by a team of film producers, technologists, and regional experts, we combine deep local knowledge with cutting-edge AI to streamline co-production, location scouting, crew assembly, and financing across one of the world's most visually stunning and culturally rich filmmaking regions.
Our mission
Unlock Central Asia's cinematic potential.
We believe the region deserves a dedicated gateway — one that respects its unique cultural identity while speaking the language of international film business.
Global Access
Make Central Asian films, talent, and locations visible and accessible to international producers, festivals, and distributors.
Streamlined Production
Reduce friction in co-production by providing structured data on permits, rebates, crew availability, and equipment.
Talent Discovery
Surface emerging and established directors, DOPs, producers, and actors with verified credits and festival history.
The team
Film people building for film people.
Our team combines decades of experience in Central Asian cinema with world-class engineering and product design.
Aidar Kassenov
Co-Founder & CEO
Former film producer with 15+ years bridging Central Asian and European co-productions.
Dana Smailova
Co-Founder & Head of Product
Product leader and regional film market strategist focused on platform growth.
Timur Bakiyev
Chief Technology Officer
AI engineer and architect building intelligent systems for creative industries.
Nazgul Tulegenova
Head of Talent & Partnerships
Talent agent and festival programmer with deep networks across the region.
Yermek Sarsenbayev
Head of Locations
Location manager and fixer with credits on international productions across Kazakhstan.
Aizada Mukhtarova
Head of Content
Film curator and catalog specialist preserving and promoting regional cinema heritage.
Want to join the team or partner with us?
We're always looking for collaborators who understand the region and believe in its cinematic future.