Investment Package
The Last Copper Run
01 — The Story
Fifty pounds of copper, sixty Appalachian miles, forty-eight hours.
After the federal government took both her father and future husband, a pregnant young widow has forty-eight hours to haul fifty pounds of copper through sixty miles of Appalachian wilderness—the only hope of giving her unborn child a future.
A visceral survival thriller grounded in one of America's darkest secrets: between 1920 and 1933, the U.S. government deliberately poisoned alcohol.
Over 10,000 Americans were killed. In Appalachian Tennessee, copper-pot moonshine wasn't illegal whiskey. It was the only safe alcohol left.
The moonshiners weren't criminals. They were keeping their communities alive.
10,000+
Deaths from Poisoned Alcohol
60
Miles Traveled
48
Hours to Survive
50 lbs
Copper Weight
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02 — Market Opportunity
Audiences are hungry for stories that center women in traditionally male genres—survival thrillers rooted in real American history. The market for gritty, character-driven films set in the rural American South has proven consistently profitable at modest budgets.
Target Audience
18-54
Core Demo
55%
Female Skew
A24
Aesthetic
Global
Appeal
Audience Segments
- Fans of female-led survival narratives (Wild, Gravity, Promising Young Woman)
- Appalachian drama enthusiasts (Winter's Bone, Hillbilly Elegy)
- Historical drama viewers seeking untold American stories
- Indie film audiences drawn to festival circuit premieres
- True crime / dark history documentary crossover audience
- Faith-based viewers responding to themes of sacrifice and redemption
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03 — Comparable Films
Proven Market Performance
Recent Appalachian and rural survival dramas demonstrate consistent profitability at similar budget levels. All comparables selected for: (1) Budget range $2-15M, (2) Rural/Appalachian setting, (3) Strong female protagonist or survival elements, (4) Released 2010-2020.
Winter's Bone (2010)
$2M Budget → $16.1M Worldwide
8.1x ROI
Winter's Bone
Oscar-nominated breakout for Jennifer Lawrence
Sundance
Leave No Trace (2018)
$8M Budget → $7.7M Worldwide + Streaming
100% RT
Hell or High Water (2016)
Jeff Bridges as Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton
3.2x ROI
No Country for Old Men (2007)
4 Academy Awards including Best Picture
6.9x ROI
Hell or High Water (2016)
$12M Budget → $37.9M Worldwide
3.2x ROI
Mud (2012)
$10M Budget → $32.4M Worldwide
3.2x ROI
Mud (2012)
Mississippi River cinematography by Adam Stone
Sundance
There Will Be Blood (2007)
2 Academy Awards / American period epic
3.0x ROI
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04 — Investment Opportunity
Investment Required
$1.76M
| Total Production Budget |
$2.24M |
| Tennessee Film Incentive (25%) |
($476K) |
| Net Investment |
$1.76M |
100%
Rights Retained
Reelsage LLC
TN
All-Tennessee
Production
Production Company
Reelsage LLC
Raw. Gritty. Bold.
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05 — Distribution Strategy
Path to Market
Phase 1: Festival Premiere (Months 1-4 Post)
Strategic Festival Launch
Target premieres: Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca
Secondary: Nashville Film Festival, Indie Memphis
Goal: Critical acclaim, press coverage, sales agent attachment
Phase 2: Sales & Acquisition (Months 2-6)
Market & Acquisition
Target sales agents: Cinetic Media, Endeavor Content, XYZ Films, Submarine, The Exchange
Expected: $1.5-4M acquisition based on festival reception
Phase 3: Theatrical (Months 6-12)
Specialty Release
Target distributors: A24, Neon, Bleecker Street, IFC Films, Roadside Attractions
Platform release expanding based on per-screen averages
Phase 4: Streaming & VOD (Months 9-18)
Digital & VOD
Target platforms: Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV+
Premium VOD window (60-90 days) followed by streaming license or revenue share deal
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"We ain't gonna die on this mountain for no copper."
06 — The Ask
$1.76M equity investment
100% rights retained by Reelsage LLC
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07 — Production Timeline
Path to Screen
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08 — Why This Story Matters
A Memorial. A Reckoning. A Choice.
THE LAST COPPER RUN resurrects a forgotten American atrocity.
Between 1920 and 1933, the U.S. government poisoned over 10,000 of its own citizens in the name of enforcing Prohibition. Most victims were poor, rural, or working-class. Most of their names are lost to history.
This film is a memorial. It's also a reckoning with how governments rationalize violence against marginalized communities, how principle becomes tyranny, and how ordinary people resist.
But beyond the historical importance, this is a survival story about a woman refusing to carry her father's war. It's about breaking generational cycles. It's about choosing life over legacy.
In an era when we're re-examining government overreach, economic inequality, and who gets to decide which laws are just—THE LAST COPPER RUN feels urgent, necessary, and painfully relevant.
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