Kazakh Horror Sequel ‘Dastur: Teris Bata’ Boards Fearfolks for World Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

“Dastur: Teris Bata,” the sequel to Kazakhstan’s record-breaking horror hit “Dastur,” has found an international sales partner in Bangkok-based Fearfolks, which has boarded world sales rights excluding CIS territories.

The company is launching the title at the Toronto Film Festival market.

The original “Dastur” (2023) — meaning “traditions” in Kazakh –—became the highest-grossing film in Kazakh cinema history, taking in close to $4 million. This standalone sequel generated approximately $2 million locally and extended the franchise’s reach into Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The new film centers on Gulzhan, a single mother whose young daughter Dana disappears without explanation. Gulzhan’s search takes her to a remote village deep in the steppe, populated entirely by the elderly. She learns the villagers have taken Dana for use in an ancient ritual rooted in teris bata — a concept in Kazakh belief representing the gravest degree of ancestral condemnation. To recover her daughter, Gulzhan must reckon with both the insular community and the darker currents of a heritage that refuses to yield.

Like its predecessor, “Dastur: Teris Bata” draws on slow-burn folk horror and authentic Kazakh mythology, positioning the franchise as a gateway for international audiences into a region with scant representation in genre filmmaking.The film was directed by Alisha Utev, whose previous credits include “Brother or Marriage 2” (2019), “The Kazakh Business in Brazil” (2023) and “ToyHana” (2020).

Fearfolks CEO Hans Audric Estialbo negotiated the deal. “At Fearfolks, we champion filmmakers who have important impactful stories, so we can help them bring it to the forefront,” Estialbo said. “‘Dastur: Teris Bata’ echoes that belief and we’re honored to be able to amplify the film’s narrative into the global stage.”

Fearfolks has previously distributed the “Death Whisperer” franchise — Thailand’s highest-grossing horror series — in India, as well as A24’s highest-grossing film of all time “Backrooms” across Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The outfit is also lined up to release IFC’s “River” and Neon’s “Young People” by Osgood Perkins in Thailand.