“This documentary really stands out with its crisp, vivid imagery and well chosen music that complements the story beautifully. The drone shots are visually striking and add an impressive layer of context. I also appreciate the strong camerawork and thoughtful composition of your takes. It’s refreshing to see a documentary highlighting tortoises. Well done!”

“I like the ponderous storytelling and cinematography that mimicked the tortoise itself. The minimalism works well for this uncomplicated story of tortoise mating on this plateau: stunning landscapes, simple soundtrack. It’s done well!”

A collaborative live dombra album by Kazakh artists Akyltai Ali and Saparbaev Kosaman Begalyuly.

Album artwork by Dariya Zhanbulat, provided by Kazakh conservation organisation, the Tasbaqa Fund, as part of their ‘I am not a toy’ campaign.

The “TASBAQA” album was featured on BBC 3 programme, ‘Night Tracks’, available on BBC Sounds (from 16:38).

• Watch Ali and Kosaman perform live
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Music
• Listen on YouTube

“TASBAQA” had it’s premiere at the historic Royal Geographical Society headquarters in London.

Saxon introduces the film with words from Yuliya Zaugg, Tasbaqa Fund director.

The event was covered in the following reportages by Kazakh TV media, 24.kz and qazaqstan.tv.

In advance of the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana, the British Embassy hosted a special wildlife themed event, bringing together imagery from the Natural History Museum with a special screening of “TASBAQA”.

This screening was covered in a reportage by Silk Way TV.

UCL in partnership with Cornell University welcomed “TASBAQA” for a special Nowruz-themed screening event, with speeches from Saxon Bosworth, cultural ambassador Kamila Erkaboyeva, and researcher Jung Hyuk Keum.

In a collaboration with National Geographic Kazakhstan, the story behind “TASBAQA” is explored. This article is available in Kazakh, Russian and English.

English version of article published with National Geographic Kazakhstan

The bold life of the wild Central Asian Tortoise

An expedition to the Ustyurt Plateau, a film studying a million-year-old relationship Author: Saxon Bosworth An English version of the article posted with National…

Keep reading

A special feature piece for the CARAVANSERAI by The Royal Society for Asian Affairs, ISSUE 8, Winter 2025.

“For millennia, wildlife has shaped Asia’s identities, economies and belief systems. Rapid development, climate change and shifting land use now strain these ancient relationships. This issue looks at some of the consequences.”

“Saxon’s film captures how a tortoise is meant to live, a way of life that might stop soon because its ecosystem is being threatened by human activity,” Zaugg told Vlast.

In July, Bosworth presented “TASBAQA” at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Vlast interviewed Bosworth about the film and the significance of the topic.

Read Vlast.kz’s interview with Saxon in Kazakh, English, or Russian. The article was republished by Global Voices.

For inquires or “TASBAQA” screening requests, contact saxon.bosworth@gmail.com

If you wish, you can support Saxon’s next wildlife film project. Your support means ever so much.

Director, Film, Edit – Saxon Bosworth

Producer – Vlad Terentyev

Sound Design – Bianca Cerezo

Colour Grading – Juan Luis Bustamente

Music – Ali Akyltai Ali & Saparbaev Kosaman Begalyuly

Narration – Gulbarshin Mukhashova