Explore Minnesota leans into the state’s rich film history with new short
Explore Minnesota, the Midwestern state’s department of tourism, has released a short film inviting filmmakers to participate in its burgeoning creative economy.The three-and-a-half-minute video, On the Case Again, pays homage to one of the most famous films to come out of Minnesota, Fargo, the Oscar-winning film written, directed, produced and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen released 30 years ago. The Coen brothers’ black comedy — nominated for Best Picture and winning Best Actress for Frances McDormand and Best Original Screenplay at the 69th Academy Awards — is responsible in large part for introducing the rest of the country to the state’s distinct accent, mannerisms and phrases including “you betcha” and “don’tcha know.”In the short film, two police officers bundled up in parkas and trapper hats investigate an abandoned film set in a remote area, admiring the film equipment left behind at the scene. They find clues in a script they discover there and follow the culprits’ trail into the Twin Cities. Produced in partnership with Minneapolis-based creative agency Rise and Shine and Partners, On the Case Again was made in support of Explore Minnesota Film, the state’s new initiative to attract and support filmmakers considering Minnesota for new productions. The program boasts a swath of resources, including a supportive network of nonprofits and community members, workshops and educational programming, filming locations, grant opportunities such as the 10,000 Stories Fund and a tax credit program totaling $93 million.“We’re building on our creative legacy at a time when states across the country are competing for production, talent and investment,” said Nell Lawrenz-Wareham, deputy director of Explore Minnesota Film, in a statement. “[W]e’re not only elevating local storytellers and driving production jobs across communities, but also positioning Minnesota as a leader, investing in new ideas and voices.”Explore Minnesota Film was officially established in 2024, replacing MN Film & TV, a 41-year-old nonprofit.The self-proclaimed “North Star State” has made a big tourism push this spring following the unrest that dominated ICE’s occupation of the state and received national attention over the winter. Last month, its Come Visit Your Neighbors in Minnesota campaign aimed to redirect that spotlight away from the turmoil, instead reinforcing its “Minnesota nice” identity, a focus on neighborliness and the many other benefits the state has to offer.In addition to Fargo and its five-season spinoff series, Minnesota touts several other feature-length projects filmed and produced in the state, such as The Mighty Ducks, Purple Rain, A Prairie Home Companion, Drop Dead Gorgeous, A Serious Man, Jingle All the Way, North Country, Dear White People and Slaughterhouse-Five, which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1972.
