Ang Lee Produces Gold Rush Period Film 'Gold Mountain,' Filming in Folsom and Sacramento This Spring

One of the more ambitious period films headed into production in 2026 is now firmly on the radar: Gold Mountain, a feature set during the lawless, gold-fevered streets of 1850s San Francisco, is slated to begin principal photography on May 18, 2026, with filming scheduled through July 23 in Folsom and Sacramento County, California. With Ang Lee among the producers, a screenplay from novelist Chang-rae Lee, and casting director Avy Kaufman already attached, this is a production that working professionals across a wide range of departments will want to move on quickly.

The story centers on a resourceful widow and a young woman she brings over from China, two characters who begin as wary strangers and gradually forge an unlikely alliance while running a marriage con on unsuspecting men in the chaos of Gold Rush-era California. It is a period adventure with a sharp con-artist backbone, and that combination of frontier setting and intimate character work signals a production that will demand both scale and precision. Think sprawling Gold Rush environments alongside close, character-driven scenes that require careful period detail at every level.

Ang Lee produces here, and his involvement alone signals a production of serious artistic ambition and considerable resources. Lee, the Academy Award-winning director of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi, and The Ice Storm, steps into a producing role on this project, lending the kind of creative credibility that attracts top-tier talent both above and below the line. The screenplay comes from Chang-rae Lee, the acclaimed novelist best known for his books Native Speaker and On Such a Full Sea, making Gold Mountain a notable feature writing credit in what has been a literary career. Their pairing, two Lees with deep roots in Asian-American storytelling, gives this film a distinctive creative spine that should resonate both commercially and critically.

Also producing are Anthony Bregman of Likely Story and the Cornwell brothers, Stephen and Simon, through The Ink Factory. Bregman's Likely Story has built a strong reputation as a producer of intelligent, character-driven films, with credits including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Synecdoche, New York, Foxcatcher, and The Squid and the Whale. The Ink Factory is the London-based production company behind the acclaimed BBC and AMC series The Night Manager, based on John le Carré's novel, and is well known for premium international co-productions with sophisticated storytelling and strong production values. Gregory Goodman and Peter Cron round out the producing team, bringing additional production infrastructure to what is shaping up to be a well-resourced independent feature. No distributor or financier has been publicly confirmed, but the combination of these production houses and the caliber of talent attached suggests a film targeting major festival exposure and a premium distribution deal.

Avy Kaufman is attached as casting director, a detail worth noting for agents and talent representatives. Kaufman is one of the most respected casting directors working in prestige film and television today, with a resume that includes Schindler's List, Brokeback Mountain, Lincoln, Silence, and countless other awards-season titles. Her involvement here is consistent with the film's ambitions, and it also means the casting process will be methodical, thorough, and attentive to authenticity. No cast has been publicly announced at this stage, which means lead and supporting roles are likely still being actively developed and considered.

Production will be based in Folsom, California, with additional work in Sacramento County. This location choice is historically rich and practically smart. The Sacramento and Folsom corridor sits at the heart of the actual Gold Rush geography, with Folsom's Old Town district and the surrounding foothills offering authentic 19th-century streetscapes and architecture that period productions can dress with relative efficiency. California's Film and Television Tax Credit Program, administered by the California Film Commission, offers meaningful incentives for productions that qualify, and a shoot of this size based in Northern California would likely be positioned to take advantage of those programs. Sacramento has been growing steadily as a production hub, with an increasingly capable local crew base, and productions of this scale typically draw on a mix of local hires and department heads brought in from Los Angeles. For crew based in Northern California, this is an unusually strong regional opportunity. For LA-based professionals, the two-hour drive or a short relocation makes this a practical and appealing option.

From a department-needs standpoint, Gold Mountain is exactly the kind of production that requires exceptional work across the board. A period adventure set in the 1850s means the art department and costume department will carry enormous responsibility, rebuilding an entire era in wood, canvas, leather, and period-accurate fabric. The locations department will be critical, identifying and dressing settings that can convincingly stand in for rough-and-tumble Gold Rush San Francisco. If the production involves any stunt or action sequences connected to the period adventure elements of the story, a stunt coordinator and team will be essential. And a film with this level of producing firepower and artistic pedigree will almost certainly shoot on a union contract, meaning IATSE and SAG-AFTRA agreements are the expected framework.

With a May 2026 start now confirmed and a production window running through late July, the hiring timeline for department heads and key crew is very much active right now. Pre-production on a film of this scope typically requires heads of department to be in place three to four months before cameras roll, which puts the current window squarely in the zone where conversations are happening and deals are being made. Readers who want to get in front of this production should not wait. The full listing for Gold Mountain, including production office contact information, confirmed crew, and scheduling updates as they are released, is available now at ProductionList.com. Check back regularly as the production continues to staff up through early 2026.

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