Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father
2008, Color, 93 minutes, mini-DV/16mm
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital
Purchase the Movie:
10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Digipak
Blu-ray | DVD
10th Anniversary Edition
Amazon: Blu-ray | DVD
iTunes | Amazon Prime Video | Google Play
Bonus features include the film’s epilogue and numerous deleted sequences, along with all the 16mm raw footage shot of Zachary, and uncut footage of Dr. Andrew Bagby’s “Best Man Speech” and “Fire Story”.
Purchase the Soundtrack:
iTunes | Amazon (digital) | Amazon (physical CD)
Buy “Dance with the Devil” by David Bagby:
Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK
One of the Top 5 Documentaries of 2008 – National Board of Review
One of the “100 Greatest Documentaries of All Time” (#74) – PBS POV
One of the Ten Best Films of the Decade (#3) – Film School Rejects
“DEAR ZACHARY is one of the best documentaries you will see and it may actually be the best that I’ve EVER seen.”
– Erik Childress, VP, Chicago Film Critics Association
“A true-crime story so gripping, devastating and ultimately unforgettable that it easily trumps any thriller Hollywood has to offer this year.”
– The Village Voice
“One of the best documentaries I have ever watched in my entire life…a film that will rock you to your core.” – Erik Davis, Cinematical
Synopsis
On November 5, 2001, Dr. Andrew Bagby was murdered in a parking lot in western Pennsylvania. The prime suspect, his ex-girlfriend, Dr. Shirley Turner, promptly fled the United States for St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, where she announced that she was pregnant with Andrew’s child. She named the little boy Zachary.
Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne, Andrew’s old friend, began making this film for little Zachary as a way for him to get to know the father he’d never meet. But when Shirley Turner was released on bail in Canada and was given custody of Zachary while awaiting extradition to the U.S., the film’s focus shifted to Zachary’s grandparents, David and Kathleen Bagby, and their desperate efforts to win custody of the boy from the woman they knew had murdered their only son.
Trailer
Epilogue
This short documentary by Kurt Kuenne, released in 2013, tells the story of how DEAR ZACHARY played a role in amending the Canadian Criminal Code on December 15, 2010. Do not watch until you have seen DEAR ZACHARY.
Festivals and Awards
- One of the 100 Greatest Documentaries of All Time (#74) – PBS POV
- One of the Top 5 Documentaries of 2008 – National Board of Review
- Nominee, Best Documentary – Chicago Film Critics Association
- Nominee, Best Documentary & Breakthrough Filmmaker (Kurt Kuenne) – Online Film Critics Society
- Winner – Best Documentary, Society of Professional Journalists
- Nominee, Best Documentary Score (Kurt Kuenne) – International Film Music Critics
- Winner, Best Documentary (#3) – National Headliner Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Journalism
- Winner, CINE Masters Series Award, Best Feature Documentary
- One of the Best Films of the Decade (#3) – Film School Rejects
- Slamdance Film Festival
- Cinequest Film Festival – Winner, Audience Award & Jury Award
- SXSW Film Festival
- Sarasota Film Festival
- Hot Docs Int’l Documentary Film Festival – Winner, Top 10 Audience Favorite (#3)
- Silverdocs AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival – Nominee, WGA Documentary Screenplay Award
- New Zealand International Film Festivals – Wellington & Auckland
- World Film Festival, Montreal
- Calgary International Film Festival
- Edmonton International Film Festival
- Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival – Winner, Audience Award
- Indie Memphis Film Festival
- San Francisco Documentary Film Festival
- Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
- Williamstown Film Festival
- Orlando Film Festival – Winner, Best Documentary
- St. Louis International Film Festival – Winner, Audience Award
- Starz Denver Film Festival
- International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA)
- Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival – China
- International Filmweekend, Würzburg, Germany – Winner, Best Documetary (#3)
- Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival – Greece
- Bradford International Film Festival – UK
One of the Best Films of 2008:
Ain’t It Cool News * MovieFone * TimeOut Chicago * IFC.com * EfilmCritic.com * Cinematical
The Oregonian * MSN Movies * WGN Radio Chicago * ComingSoon.net * Top Ten Reviews
MetroMix * Times Herald-Record * Einsiders * Chattanooga Pulse * FirstShowing.net * JoBlo.com
NewCityFilm * Reel Talk Reviews * InContention.com * Slant Magazine * MovieWeb
Hollywood Chicago.com * Big Picture/Big Sound * News & Observer * Film.com
Tiny Mix Tapes.com * FilmCritic.com * DC Entertainment Examiner * Moving Pictures Magazine
Reviews
- “The 100 Greatest Documentaries of All Time” – PBS
- “The 25 Best Documentaries of All Time” – Esquire
- “The Best Biographical Documentaries of All Time” – Indiewire
- “Capturing the Decade: Documentaries” – eFilmCritic.com
- “The Decade List: The 59 Best Films Of The Past Ten Years – Chapter I” – Geeks of Doom
- “The Top 50 Films of the Decade Part Two” – The Observer
- “Matt’s Best and Worst Films of the Decade” – Film Monthly
- The Best Movies of the Decade – The Suffolk Voice
- “The Documentary Blog’s Top 50 Documentaries of the Decade” – The Documentary Blog
- “The 20 Best DVDs of 2009” – Seattle PI Blogs: DVDinner
- “The 30 Best Films of the Decade” – Film School Rejects
- “The Playlist’s Best Documentaries of the Decade” – The Playlist
- Stranger Than Fiction: 16 Documentaries That Will Blow Your Mind – Indiewire
- Top 20 Underrated Films of the Decade – Cinema Enthusiast
- “Films that make us cry” – A.V. Club
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – DVD Talk
- “New on DVD” – USA Today
- “The Best Films of 2008” – IFC.com
- “Best of 2008” – MovieWeb
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – Movie Zeal
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – JournalStar.com
- “Movie Review: ‘Dear Zachary'” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- “Season’s screenings” – Daily Herald Blogs
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father” – Tomato Nation
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Fataculture
- “Review: “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father”” – From the Front Row
- “Unbelievable story propels ‘Dear Zachary’ documentary” – Bangor Daily News
- “On Grief” – Antagony & Ecstasy
- “Finding Out” – The New Republic
- “Shattering Documentary “Dear Zachary: A Letter From A Son About His Father” Takes A Path Directly To the Heart” – Wonders in the Dark
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – Laramie Movie Scope
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter To a Son About His Father” – Lessons of Darkness
- “Moriarty’s Review Round-Up!” – Ain’t It Cool News
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – eFilmCritic.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – TV Guide
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Ozus’ World Movie Reviews
- “Dear Zachary” – CampusCircle.com
- Documentary “Dear Zachary” is a True Labor of Love – LA.com
- “Film Week on AirTalk” (MP3 podcast) – NPR 89.3 KPCC
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – JoBlo.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – DVD Town
- “Review: Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – Newcity Film
- “Doc Rips Apart Viewers’ Hearts (PDF file)” – amNewYork
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – CHUD.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – FilmCritic.com
- “Trials and Tribute” – New York Post
- “A Provocative Story of Loss” – New York Times
- “Boy, Interrupted” – New York Magazine
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – NYC Movie Guru
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – Village Voice
- “Movies in Brief” – Cinema Signals
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – Time Out New York
- “Twists and Turns” – ReelTalk Movie Reviews
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – HDFest
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – FilmJerk.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Collider.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – Hollywood Reporter
- “The Weekend Warrior: Oct. 31 – Nov. 2” – ComingSoon.net
- “Barks with Bite” – VideoHound’s Golden Movie Retriever
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” – eFilmCritic.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – Boxoffice Magazine
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – MovieWeb.com
- “WFF Review : Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Twitch
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Salient
- “Letters From the Dead: Dear Zachary” – The Lumiere Reader
- “Mr. Winston Is Bludgeoned By The Power Of DEAR ZACHARY…” – Ain’t It Cool News
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – NOW Toronto
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Cinematical.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – firstshowing.net
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Flickhead.net
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Slashfilm.com
- “Muldoon From SXSW Re: DEAR ZACHARY!!” – Ain’t It Cool News
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father” – Internet Reviews.com
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – The Austin Chronicle
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Moving Pictures Magazine
- “Slamdance: Devastating loss and a glimmer of hope” – The Salt Lake Tribune
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” – Variety
- “Slamdance Review: Dear Zachary” – Cinematical.com
Features
- “Bagbys Mark Painful Anniversary” – The Telegram
- Non Fiction Addiction presents Dear Kurt: A Slow Q&A with Kurt Kuenne
- Kurt Kuenne reveals his favourite documentary – Non Fiction Addiction
- “10 Great Documentaries That Weren’t Nominated For An Oscar” – The Playlist / Indiewire
- “What Should Have Won Best Picture For the Past 30 Years” – Film School Rejects
- “After Canadian mother killed herself and their only grandchild, U.S. couple started 10-year fight to change Canada’s bail laws” – National Post
- “Scarred by Murder” – The Telegram
- “‘Dear Zachary’ – Filming a Friend’s Life and Death Story, with director Kurt Kuenne” – Bring Your Own Doc
- “‘Dear Zachary’ Epilogue: Find Out What’s Happened in the Aftermath of the Heartbreaking Documentary” – Movies.com
- “Zachary’s Bill Becomes Law in Canada!” – Geek Tyrant
- “The Legacy of ‘Dear Zachary:’ Zachary’s Bill Becomes Law in Canada” – SlashFilm
- “Kurt Kuenne Succeeds with ‘Dear Zachary’ – Canadian Bill Becomes Law” – Cinematical
- “Bagby bill becomes law” – The Telegram
- “Bill C-464 becomes law” – The Packet
- “Film about slain Latrobe doctor spurs action on bail reform” – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
- “Bill C-464 (Historical)” – OpenParliament.ca
- “Andrews’ Private Member’s Bill Moves to the Senate” – Polemic & Paradox
- “‘Dear Zachary’ Bill Gets Passed Unanimously by House of Commons” – Cinematical
- “Bill Inspired by Bagbys Gets A Step Closer” – The Telegram
- “Bagby-inspired bail bill a step closer to law” – The Telegram
- “Raising the Dead” – Moving Pictures Magazine
- “Newman wins bail appeal” – The Weekend Telegram
- “DEAR ZACHARY’s Canadian Triumphs!” – Cinematical
- “Bail bill inspired by Bagby’s murdered grandson” – The Charter
- “Calgary screened documentary ‘Dear Zachary’ lead to Canada bail law reform” – Examiner.com
- “Zachary’s Bill” – The Compass
- “Kate and David Bagby Here To Support M.P. Scott Andrews On Bill C-464” – ScottAndrews.ca
- “Bail reform bill gathers steam in N.L.” – CBC News
- “Canada’s bail law subject of Bagby film” – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
- “Andrews introduces his first Private Members Bill – October 23, 2009)” – Facebook, Scott Andrews
- “U.S. documentary filmmaker wants politicians to change Canada’s bail laws” – The Hill Times
- “2008 Sigma Delta Chi Awards: ‘Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father” – Quill
- “Nothing to Lose” – Gilroy Dispatch
- “Dear Zachary… Your Mother Destroyed Our Lives. Twice.” – UK Sunday Telegraph
- “Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne Punches Your Stub” – New York Magazine
- “The 10 Biggest Oscar Snubs of 2009” – HollywoodChicago.com
- “IFMCA announces its 2008 nominees for scoring excellence” – International Film Music Critics Association
- “Film gives a shocking look at killing” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- “In Memoriam” – Santa Fe Reporter
- “Trying To Move On” – The Western Star
- “Sound Off: Best Movies Scores of 2008 – What Are Your Favorites?” – FirstShowing.net
- “‘Dear Zachary’ hits chord with viewers” – The Telegram
- “‘Dear Zachary’ brings applause and tears” – The Telegram
- “Crime Watch: ‘Dear Zachary’ director Kurt Kuenne returns” – Metro Silicon Valley
- “Documentary returns to South Bay ahead of television debut” – Cambrian Resident
- “Interview: Kurt Kuenne” – JoBlo.com
- “Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne Laments the Plight of the Bathroom Attendant” – New York Magazine
- “Bagby film powerful indictment of Canadian system” – Latrobe Bulletin
- “Film Tells of Fatal Injustice” – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (print version)
- “Film Tells of Fatal Injustice” – Pittsburgh Tribute-Review
- “Exclusive Interview: Dear Zachary Director Kurt Kuenne” – Cinema Blend
- “Kurt Kuenne: Farewell to a friend” – Hollywood and Fine
- “The Director Interviews: Kurt Kuenne” – Filmmaker Magazine
- “Dear Zachary Director Kurt Kuenne” – indieWIRE
- “EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Kurt Kuenne on ‘Dear Zachary: a letter to a son about his father'” – MovieWeb
- “Gen Art Cinema Circle presents ‘Dear Zachary’ (director Kurt Kuenne)” – Gen Art Cinema Circle
- “Opening This Week” – IFC Film News
- “A Friend’s Tribute to a Good Man” – Los Angeles Times
- “‘Dear Zachary’ is aimed at Canadian voters” – LA Times
- “Amazing Documentary DEAR ZACHARY’s Official Poster Revealed” – First Showing
- “Grief called into action” – Edmonton Journal
- “Need help finding your favorite films at Sidewalk?” – Zoom Out – al.com
- “2008 CIFF: Dear Zachary – David & Kate Bagby’s path to justice for the death of their son Andrew and grandson Zachary” – ideas Revolution
- “O-scope gets Dear Zachary” – Variety
- “Dear Zachary – chat with Kurt Kuenne – 2008 CIFF” – ideas Revolution
- “Documentaries: Writing Real Life” – Script Magazine
- “Meet the Filmmakers: Kurt Kuenne–‘Dear Zachary: a letter to a son about his father'” – Documentary.org
- “MSNBC Picks Up Bagby Film” – The Telegram
- “MSNBC creates banner for documentaries” – Hollywood Reporter
- “MSNBC, Submarine dive for docs” – Variety
- “MSNBC Launches New Film Division with “Dear Zachary”” – indieWIRE
- “Hot Docs 2008 Awards” – Hot Docs
- “Hot Docs 2008: A Bunch of Films and Sadness Later” – Cinematical
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father Q&A” – Hot Docs Daily
- “The Ten Best Films of SXSW 2008” – Film School Rejects
- “Sundance – Why Didn’t You Show Dear Zachary??” – First Showing.net
- “SXSW Film Fest: Day 4” – Time Out Chicago
- “10 Films to Put on Your Schedule” – eFilmCritic.com
- “SXSW ’08 Interview: “Dear Zachary” Director Kurt Kuenne” – eFilmCritic.com
- “Movie brings togetherness after tragedy” – San Jose Mercury News
- “Cinequest Picks” – Metro Newspapers
- “Park City ’08 Notebook” – IndieWire.com
- “Slamdance: Devastating loss and a glimmer of hope” – The Salt Lake Tribune
- “A Standing, Crying Ovation” – FilmStew.com
- “Slamdance may have blockbuster sleepers” – ParkRecord.com
- “Filmmaker Focuses on Change” – San Jose Mercury News
- “A Tale of Sorrow and Survival” – San Jose Mercury News
- “Dear Zachary” – The Telegram
- “Film for a Fallen Friend” – The Express
- “Immortalized on Film” – The Telegram