Experiencing Interruptions?

Pennies

When a quiet bookstore owner from Washington, DC gets called back to his rural hometown after the death of his mother, he is faced with the bullies from his childhood who now run the town and conspire to deprive him of his inheritance.

  • Lena Louise Streitwieser
    Director
    Unprompted, Left Behind, Harriet Alone
  • Mary Beth Warner
    Writer
  • Mary Beth Warner
    Producer
  • Bernhard Streitwieser
    Producer
  • Lena Louise Streitwieser
    Producer
  • Brent Stansell
    Key Cast
    "Ian "
  • Greg Oliver Bodine
    Key Cast
    "Chuckie, Young Al"
  • Elle Youngblood
    Key Cast
    "Samantha"
  • Todd Scofield
    Key Cast
    "Pete"
  • Randi Barros
    Editor
  • Robert Lodge
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 15, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Lena Louise Streitwieser

Lena Streitwieser is a Film student in the Dual BA with Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University. She is a filmmaker currently working on her seventh short film. Her work as a director has been recognized by the Japan International Film Festival, the Munich New Wave Short Film Festival, and the Tokyo International Film Festival, among others. She enjoys film scoring, exploring coming-of-age stories, and analyzing how life experience informs films. Her academic article on Psycho (1960) was recently published in Film Matters Magazine.

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Director Statement

"Pennies" is a production very close to my heart. I have seen people I know suffer from the long-term effects of childhood bullying, such as anxiety and depression.
Working on this film with people from different generations, I gained a glimpse into many people’s experiences with bullying. It is a problem that crosses socioeconomic and cultural lines, and touches so many lives. According to UNESCO, 30 percent of students worldwide have been victims of bullying. And still many cases go unreported.
This film, though, is not just about the moments of feeling powerless. We wanted to show that even if it feels like all of the cards in the world are stacked against you, there are people who care all around you and it is possible to find the strength within yourself to stand up to those who have wronged you.
To me, "Pennies" is not only about the reverberating effects of chronically feeling small, but also about how even in the most unexpected moments, an inner strength can emerge.