Upper Midwest Film Office

About Upper Midwest Film Office

Upper Midwest Film Office uses production rebates and tax-credit promotion to push film and television work into Northern Minnesota. Its active programs include the Iron Range Regional Production Incentive Program, the St. Louis County Regional Production Incentive Program, the City of Duluth Production Incentive Program, and the Minnesota Film Production Tax Credit, with eligibility tied to in-state or local spend rather than general operating support. The largest recent grants show the scale of that approach: Marvista Entertainment LLC received $469,283 in 2025, while Fun Raiser LLC received $406,430 in 2024. Both awards point to a funder that backs project-level production costs and uses reimbursement structures to encourage activity in specific Minnesota locations. The recent grant list also shows repeated support for productions connected to the region. Grand Forks, North Dakota recipients appear multiple times, and Minnesota-based projects such as Twin Sisties LLC in Chisholm, Big Var Productions in Coon Rapids, and Duluth-based projects like Murder on the Great Lakes and Duluth Sister Cities are part of the record. This pattern fits a public charity built around media production, workforce activity, and regional economic impact rather than broad charitable grantmaking.

What Upper Midwest Film Office Funds

The strongest thematic thread is film production support. Grants such as $243,621 to Closed Doors LLC in 2025 and $112,312 to C4g LLC in 2023 were both labeled for film production, showing how the office channels substantial project-based funding to individual productions. Commercial production also appears in the record. Gabe Harden LLC of Mamaroneck, New York received $16,059 in 2025 for commercial production, linking the funder’s work to advertising and branded video as well as screen projects. Northern Minnesota place-based production is another clear focus. Pro Solutions Dba Leedrick Studios in Hibbing received $41,408 in 2023 for film production, aligning with the office’s stated emphasis on regional economic impact and local media creation activity. Work tied to smaller Minnesota communities appears as well. Duluth Sister Cities in Duluth received $6,736 in 2025, and Murder on the Great Lakes in Duluth received $7,148 in 2025, both reinforcing the funder’s connection to city-level production activity.

How Upper Midwest Film Office Gives