Tomiris is a 2019 Kazakhstani feature film directed by Akan Satayev, which tells the story of the queen of the Massagetae, Tomyris, and the Persian king, Cyrus the Great.
The idea to create a film about Tomyris was brought by Aliya Nazarbayeva, the youngest daughter of the first president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Tomyris was the queen of the Massagetae, people from a Scythian pastoral-nomadic confederation of Central Asia east of the Caspian Sea, in parts of modern-day Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, western Uzbekistan, and southern Kazakhstan.
[4] The film is based on the story of Herodotus about the death of the Persian king Cyrus the Great during the war with the Massagetae, which was commanded by the queen Tomyris.
[5] The story begins with a short biography of Tomyris's father, king Spargap, who is involved in the war between the clans of the Saka-Massagetae.
After several years she succeeds with her revenge, returns to her homeland where she is proclaimed a queen, and marries the son of a neighboring tribal chief, who is her ally.
Years later, Persian king Cyrus the Great tricks Tomyris's husband and one of her sons into his capital city, inviting them to discuss political issues that arose between his Achaemenid Empire and the Massagetae.
In the ensuing war the Massagetae defeat the Persians, inflicting heavy losses, with Cyrus also killed in the final battle.
[9] The filmmakers took into account many features of the culture and life of the Massagetae, in particular, their pointed hats and tribal meetings, at which the most important issues were resolved.
[14] Some observers believe that the film was aimed to make Dariga Nazarbayeva's potential presidential bid in the future, the daughter of Kazakhstan's former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, more acceptable among ordinary Kazakhstanis.