Native American Crime Drama 'Mineral Rights' Sets 2027 Production Start in Los Angeles

A feature film tackling one of the most urgent and underreported crises in contemporary America is moving through development with a 2027 production target. 'Mineral Rights,' an independent crime drama centered on the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and the exploitation of Native American lands and communities in northern Minnesota, is being developed by LaCoruna Productions, with principal photography currently scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in March 2027. For crew and collaborators looking to attach early to a socially conscious, story-driven independent feature, this is a project worth tracking from the ground floor.

The film is written and produced by Daniel Perry Fuentes, who serves as the creative engine behind the project through his production banner LaCoruna Productions. Fuentes is developing a sprawling, ensemble-driven narrative set in and around Tamarack, Minnesota, a small community positioned on the edge of both the Mille Lacs Ojibwe and Fond du Lac Chippewa Reservations. The story weaves together themes of corporate greed, political corruption, human trafficking, and Indigenous justice across multiple storylines, following a patriarch turned criminal, his son turned reluctant hero, a grieving tribal chief, and an FBI investigator navigating a deliberately obstructive system. The scope and ambition of the script suggest Fuentes is positioning this as a feature with potential franchise or expanded storytelling ambitions, given the density of character arcs and subplots involved.

LaCoruna Productions is the producing entity behind the project at this stage, with no studio, streaming platform, or distribution partner publicly attached as of current reporting. For independent features at this stage of development, that is not unusual. Productions like this one often use the development window to refine the script, pursue talent attachments, and approach financiers and distributors with a more fully packaged project. The absence of a network or streamer attachment at this point means the budget tier and ultimate scale of the production remain fluid. However, the subject matter, the MMIW crisis and the intersection of rare earth mining interests with Indigenous land rights, has demonstrated real commercial and awards traction in recent years, which may help Fuentes attract institutional support as the project matures.

Filming is listed as Los Angeles, California, though the story itself is set largely in rural northern Minnesota. This is a common production reality for independent features: Los Angeles offers access to a deep talent pool, established production infrastructure, and the ability to cast and crew efficiently, while selective location shooting or second-unit work in Minnesota could supply authentic visual texture. For Los Angeles-based crew considering this project, it is worth noting that California's film tax credit program has been a meaningful driver for productions choosing to base in the state, and productions rooted in the LA industry ecosystem often lean on the city's robust network of independent film crew. If any Minnesota location work is planned, the state does offer its own production tax incentive program, and the Duluth and Twin Cities areas have supported independent productions in the past, though the local crew base there is smaller than in major production hubs. With a production window running from March 2 through April 15, 2027, the shoot is projected at roughly six weeks, which is consistent with a focused independent feature rather than a sprawling studio production.

Given the production's current development status and its early-stage nature, the roles most immediately relevant are on the producing and development side: co-producers, executive producers with financing relationships, and production attorneys familiar with independent film structures. That said, with a production start just over two years out, the timeline for bringing on a line producer and beginning formal pre-production is not as distant as it might seem. Features of this type and ambition, particularly those with socially charged subject matter that may pursue festival strategy, often begin assembling department heads six to nine months ahead of cameras rolling. The story's scope suggests meaningful needs across the art department (recreating rural Minnesota bar and logging camp environments), the locations department (whether shooting practical or on stages), and potentially a stunt coordinator given the script's action and violence elements. Given the subject matter's connection to Indigenous communities, productions of this kind are increasingly expected to engage Indigenous consultants, cultural liaisons, and community advisors as part of their core team, a consideration that is as practical as it is ethical.

ProductionList.com will continue to track 'Mineral Rights' as it moves through development toward its anticipated 2027 production start. The full listing on ProductionList.com includes current production contacts, company information, and scheduling details, and will be updated as casting, additional crew attachments, and financing news become available. If you are a producer, financier, department head, or crew member interested in following this project, bookmark the listing now so you are positioned to move when the production enters active pre-production.

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