I’m wiping tears from my eyes as I write this. Last month, Green of Eye, wrote an amazing post on Culch.ie about a documentary film she watched called ‘Dear Zachary: a letter to a son about his father‘. I bookmarked the entry and made a point of contacting the film’s director Kurt Kuenne to see if it was available in Ireland. Having received an email back from him within a few days, I learned of the fact that while it is available via Amazon.com it wasn’t in the shops here as yet. As I have a multi-region player I picked it up and it arrived a couple of weeks ago.
Andrew Bagby (28) was discovered with fatal gunshot wounds in a parking lot in western Pennsylvania in 2001. The prime suspect, his ex-girlfriend Dr. Shirley Turner, fled the United States to St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. It was here, shortly after the incident, that she announced that she was pregnant with Andrew’s child. She named the little boy Zachary.
Kurt Kuenne, one of Andrew’s best friends sets out to make a film chronicalling his life so that his baby boy would some day know how much his father was loved and respected. I’ve never been floored by a documentary as much as I have by this film. I’d implore you to seek it out as it illustrates the immense good and love in people whilst contrasting with the narcissism and evil in others. Stunning.
5 replies on “Dear Zachary”
Yeah, it’s a stunning piece of work alright. Only Tweeted about it / Posteroused it a few days before Green of Eye reviewed – great that more people are discovering it now. Hope RTE show it.
It definitely deserves to find a big audience alright.
I had to read up more about it when I watched – and have to say did shed some tears as well
This was the most profound documentmentary that I have watched, it hurt my heart and warmed my soul. I am a parent and grandparent and cannot understand how anyone could possibly be so sick and charge those that remain with such a horrible ending. I will search out the book and be the voice in America. We believe in the death penalty.
@Arlene: I don’t support the death penalty myself. While it was a horrendous crime, I would have rather seen her jailed for life.