According to the New Mexico Film Office, the total surpasses the previous record of $50.2 million set in Fiscal Year 2022.
By Levi Gwaltney
Source: New Mexico Film Office
Photos: Courtesy
Courtesy Cover Photo: From the set of “The Long Haul”
SANTA FE — New Mexico’s effort to attract film productions to communities outside Albuquerque and Santa Fe reached a new milestone during Fiscal Year 2026, with the state’s Uplift Zone incentive generating a record $55.74 million in direct production spending across rural New Mexico.
Filmmaker Brent Morris recently filmed scenes for In Between near Gallup, illustrating the continued growth of film production in rural New Mexico.
According to the New Mexico Film Office, the total surpasses the previous record of $50.2 million set in Fiscal Year 2022. The Uplift Zone incentive is designed to encourage productions to film in smaller communities by offering an additional 10% refundable tax credit for qualified expenditures made at least 60 miles from the city halls of Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
“New Mexico continues to set the standard for film incentives, with states across the country following our lead,” Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “The Uplift incentive helps keep us competitive, bringing jobs, production spending and continued economic opportunities to communities throughout the state. Productions may come for the incentives, but they return for our talented crews and strong industry infrastructure.”
Steve Graham, director of the New Mexico Film Office, said the program is intended to expand opportunities beyond the state’s traditional production centers.
“It’s about creating film opportunities far beyond New Mexico’s traditional production hubs to keep New Mexicans working,” Graham said. “For small towns, there is an immediate and significant impact. This record-setting year shows the value of investing in our communities and expanding the reach of New Mexico’s film industry.”
One recent example is The Long Haul, which premiered June 7 at the 2026 Tribeca Festival in New York City. Originally filmed under the working title Dead Letters, the production filmed scenes in Las Cruces and Ruidoso during March 2025.
The feature stars Margo Martindale, Stephen Root, Cole Sprouse, Yalitza Aparicio, Jefferson White and Wes Studi. According to the New Mexico Film Office, production employed more than 100 New Mexicans, including 65 resident crew members, three principal actors and approximately 80 background performers.
Since 2020, New Mexico’s film industry has generated more than $6.4 billion in statewide economic impact. The current fiscal year alone has included 63 productions generating approximately $320 million in spending, with 26 productions filming at least partially within the state’s Uplift Zone.
The enhanced rural incentive was expanded from 5% to 10% in 2023 following the passage of Senate Bill 12, further encouraging productions to bring filming, employment and production spending to communities across rural New Mexico.
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