LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) – While Albuquerque and Santa Fe tend to attract more big-budget studio films, Las Cruces has become a haven for independent filmmakers. There are also several new facilities in development, including a 36,440-square-foot soundstage and an NMSU complex, that are expected t o boost the industry in Las Cruces. With unique locations and consistent weather conditions, Las Cruces is an ideal film hub for many productions. Also in 2019, Senate Bill 2: Film Tax Credit Changes, more than doubled the cap on rebate payments to qualified film and television productions in New Mexico. Additionally, it provides a 5% credit for productions that film in Las Cruces or anywhere 60 miles or more outside of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, both major film hubs in the state in their own right. 20th Century All but three or four of the twenty-one movie theaters that have existed at some point in Las Cruces are now forgotten. However, movie historians should be familiar with the Airdome Theater, which debuted in 1914 as an automobile drive-in theater, twenty years before movie history asserts the drive-in originated. During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Orville Wanzer was a trailblazing but relatively unknown filmmaker whose work shaped the formation of "the modern western" and independent avant-garde filmmaking in the US, especially in the borderlands. In 1959, Wanzer was hired to teach English at New Mexico State University. Along with starting NMSU's first filmmaking department, he also taught photography and film history. Dr. Julia Smith, an English professor at New Mexico State University, found Wanzer’s film reels in the NMSU Archives and recently digitized Wanzer’s 1965 film “The Devil’s Mistress” as part of her project to preserve Las Cruces' and NMSU’s film history. Mexican Border Defenders, 1911 The Devil's Mistress, 1965 Hang 'Em High, 1968 Up in the Cellar, 1970 Truck Stop Women, 1974 Lost in America, 1985 Mad Love, 1995 Lolita, 1997 Restored 1970s film by ‘trailblazing’ NMSU professor heads to silver screen 2000s New Mexico offers one of the most competitive film tax credits in the country, with a base rate of 25% and bonus incentives for filming in rural areas. This tax credit first went into effect in 2003 and led to a significant boost in state production. The 2000s brought both award-winning and franchise films to the Las Cruces area, putting the town on the map for larger studios. While some big-budget movies were filmed around the area, especially at the nearby White Sands National Park, Las Cruces continued to house many independent films as well. Traffic, 2000 All the Pretty Horses, 2000 The Missing, 2003 Brokeback Mountain, 2005 Transformers, 2007 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, 2007 La Mesa, 2008 Burning Plain, 2008 Not Forgotten, 2009 Actress Helen Hunt to speak at New Mexico State University 2010s In 2019, an additional 5% tax credit went into effect for qualified productions in New Mexico areas at least 60 miles outside Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The now 10% filming uplift zone covers most of the state, including Las Cruces, in an attempt to incentivize productions to move to more rural areas. The Las Cruces International Film Festival began in 2015 with only one guest and 60 films. Now, in the festival's 10th year, 26 guests attended, and 164 films from 40 different countries were screened. While the festival acts as a showcase for independent filmmaking, it doubles as a hands-on learning experience for students at NMSU. The event is now the largest film festival in the United States run by a university, headed by students at NMSU's Creative Media Institute. Due Date, 2010 Paul, 2011 The Odd Way Home, 2013 Two Men In Town, 2014 50 to 1, 2014 Easters, 2015 The Heart Outright, 2016 Devil in the City of Crosses, 2016 Captain Fantastic, 2016 River, 2017 Lost Padre Mine, 2017 The Mule, 2018 All the World is Sleeping, 2018 12 Strong, 2018 Las Cruces International Film Festival returns bigger, better than ever 2020s Las Cruces made MovieMaker Magazine’s annual list of “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker—Small Cities and Towns” three years in a row (2023-2025), currently sitting at number 8. The magazine noted Las Cruces' attractive film tax incentives and rapidly growing film scene in their ranking. New Mexico marked a historic milestone in 2024 when the film industry generated over $1 billion for the economy, with Las Cruces contributing $7 million on its own. Filming helps to boost the local economy in many ways, including hotel bookings, prop purchases, and hiring local talent for both cast and crew. Death in Texas, 2020 Broken Gaiete, 2020 Banging Lanie, 2020 Walking with Herb, 2021 Dig, 2022 Detective Knight: Rogue, 2022 Chupa, 2023 The Locksmith, 2023 Wanted Man, 2024 Santa's Cousin, 2024 In the Summers, 2024 Olmo, 2025 MovieMaker Magazine: Albuquerque, Santa Fe named best places to live and work as a filmmaker The Future New Mexico has pledged $3 million in Local Economic Development Act funds, and Las Cruces-based film company 828 Productions expects to invest $75 million in film infrastructure by 2031 and create 100 full-time jobs with an average salary of $75,000 per year by 2029. The New Mexico Economic Development Department recently partnered with New Mexico State University to begin building a studio with a 20,000-square-foot soundstage on NMSU's campus. A professional film production management entity will be employed to run the studio, giving students the opportunity to work on film productions. 3, TBA Joe's College Road Trip, TBA Protector, TBA Feature film ‘Protector’ filming in Las Cruces ...read more read less