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DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
When I first began this project, centered around my curiosities about a piece of currency that I never wanted to spend, I thought it would be a small film with little interest. What I learned though, is just how important the $2 bill is, and just how many people treated it with the same reverence and curiosities that I did.
Nearly everyone I came in contact with about the film had a $2 bill story to share - they pulled one out of their wallet or purse or told a touching story about how they got it. When news of the film's production reached the public, I quickly got interview requests for newspapers and radio programs. I was on to something.
The film quickly grew in scope, and I found myself traveling across the country - from south Florida to Portland, Oregon—to document all of the material. By the time the editing process began, it had become a difficult task to work all of the amazing content into the film. After two years of work, I am extremely proud of the final product, which will give audiences that same nostalgic feeling they get whenever they think about or look at their own $2 bills.
My thought process has changed dramatically since I first decided to make this documentary. The two dollar bill is an important part of our nation's economic landscape; it is misunderstood by the public, yet when used, it can do amazing things to connect people. I now know that this is a film that has a large built-in audience, and with a topic (money) that couldn't be more universal, it is the kind of film that will continue to attract attention wherever it plays.
The fact that I was able to thoroughly document the story of this remarkable piece of Americana, combined with how I was able to share my own passions and experiences with the $2 bill, have made this the most satisfying project I have ever created. The true reward comes now: being able to share the film with as many people as possible... and watching them pull out their own $2 bills for another look at them once they've seen the film.
John Bennardo
