Bitcoin Baby

The difference between success and failure sometimes seems arbitrary. Some people work hard, follow the rules, do everything that is expected of them, and still get nowhere in life. Others show up at the right place at the right time and stumble into success. The world of cryptocurrency sometimes feels like an amplified microcosm of our economy -- a rigged casino, with players making and losing fortunes on speculative assets of questionable intrinsic value. It doesn't seem meritocratic or fair.

People's life outcomes also seem rigged. Some are born into affluent families, with safety nets and paths to prosperity paved for them; while others must surmount dismal odds just to survive. Some find themselves trapped in bureaucratic institutions, without the experience or resources to set themselves free.

BITCOIN BABY was born of disillusionment with long-held narratives of bootstrapping and social mobility. The protagonists are flawed. Their lives are filled with poor decisions and poor outcomes. Perhaps they have only themselves to blame for their failures. But they see no clear way out of their rut. From their perspectives, taking a gamble with crime is better than accepting the certainty of stagnation. It is the story of two people who risk it all in hopes of one big payoff to reunite their family and get their lives back on track.

We made this film on nights and weekends, a few hours at a time, with almost no crew. Shoots were fast and focused, making efficient use of limited resources. Our process brought an immediacy and intimacy to the actors' performances. Lead actress Sierra Nowak channeled her own childhood experiences with the foster care system to lend authenticity to her role. It was an honor collaborating with a tight-knit team of artists, who all poured so much of themselves into this project to give it the spark of life.