Northstate filmmaker highlights diversity in 'The Golden Ghosts' California Gold Rush film

NORTHSTATE, Calif. — A Northstate filmmaker is telling a historical fiction story of the California Gold Rush era, with diversity at the forefront.

Mark Oliver is the director, producer, as well as writer of the film “The Golden Ghosts.”

In the movie, two African American characters come to California looking for gold around the year 1852.

Oliver told us learning about the history of African Americans in Siskiyou County during the 1850s inspired him to create the project. He said "The Golden Ghosts” has a local cast, was filmed in the Mount Shasta region, and includes the experiences of a variety of ethnic groups.

“There were people from all over the world, and you don’t really hear all that much about that unless you're a scholar and you read scholarly text,” Oliver said. “So I just wanted to portray that to the general public in a film.”

Oliver said he hopes the film will inspire viewers to learn more about California's history.

The movie will premiere on April 21 at the Riverfront Playhouse on California Street in Redding.

It’ll have two showings of the movie and a Q&A session with the cast.

Tickets are $12 in advance per person, or $15 on the day of the screening.

You can learn more about “The Golden Ghosts” and get tickets to its premiere here.

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