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Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Play trailer Poster for Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father 2008 1h 35m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 96% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In 2001, 28-year-old Dr. Andrew Bagby is found dead in a park in Pennsylvania. He had been shot by his ex-girlfriend, who then fled to Canada, where she was able to walk free on bail, pregnant with Andrew's child. Andrew's enraged parents campaign to gain custody of the child and convict their son's killer. Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne pairs this story with home movies and interviews with those who knew Andrew, hoping to give his best friend's son an opportunity to discover who his dad was.
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Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

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Critics Consensus

Dear Zachary is a both a touching tribute to a fallen friend and a heart-wrenching account of justice gone astray, skillfully put to film with no emotion spared.

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Critics Reviews

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Rob Humanick Slant Magazine Feb 26, 2009
3.5/4
The most ambitious work of its kind. Go to Full Review Hank Sartin Time Out Nov 25, 2008
5/5
Just take our advice and bring tissues. You're going to need them. Go to Full Review Stanley Kauffmann The New Republic Nov 20, 2008
A slick account of ancient crevices in the human psyche rendered in cutting-edge cinematic style. Go to Full Review Ellie Lucas From the Front Row Jul 7, 2019
4/4
You can almost feel the love radiating out of every frame, from a father to a son who never met, but who will touch millions in ways they never thought possible. Go to Full Review C.J. Prince Way Too Indie Jun 20, 2019
It's one of the few films guaranteed to turn its viewers into a sobbing mess by the end, and the raw power of its story is why it still has a lasting impact with people today. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Nov 27, 2015
3/4
An uneven yet frequently heartbreaking documentary... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Chip C @MakeAGoodMovie Sep 7, 2026 Arguably one of the greatest, most creative documentaries ever produced. Clearly a labor of love, sweat, and tears. The pacing was excellent and at times it felt like a movie as opposed to a traditional true-crime documentary. Would give it more stars if I could. See more Gen . @Gensslifee Jun 29, 2026 I loved it, absolutely heartbreaking! I just thought the narration could be really fast paced at times, but it didn’t really take away from the experience. Literally sobbed so much! See more ben F. @BenFranz Jun 21, 2026 I thought of ending this movie early because it wasn’t for me and boring. By the end I was crying, sad and angry. This poor family. See more Sierra B @sbmbolin Apr 19, 2026 This was so sad, I truly did not see the ending coming! See more Steven F. @SteveGotScored Apr 1, 2026 One of the most emotional documentaries ever made! See more Jessie D. @JDo2015 Feb 11, 2026 Talk about justice. Yes, the family may have not got full justice, but they fought to fix flaws in the justice system. I’ve been through two very traumatic events as a child. That I never told anyone about til I was older. In middle school I was attacked by a mentally ill boy. When I went to Albuquerque Public Scools to report it, their police officer said they have nothing to do with it since it was not on school grounds. I ended up telling even more of the truth later in my life on a review of the middle school I had attended, when I had realized the middle school had let a special ed student who had hurt me, on the regular bus. I’ve been ridiculed about this attack by peers, that it was my fault. Long story short, what these peers didn’t know was that I had already been hurt sexually by a girl at my babysitters house when I was five years old. Justice may never be served for the hurt I’ve been through, but God knows I’ve said what I had to say. And I am in my final science classes in pre medical, to become a dr and serve the community by fixing people. And also point out flaws in the justice system. See more Read all reviews
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

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Cast & Crew

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Kurt Kuenne

Director

Kurt Kuenne

Narrator

Kurt Kuenne

Writer

Kurt Kuenne

Producer

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Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne (left) and Dr. Andrew Bagby (right) in April 1981in a still from "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father." Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In 2001, 28-year-old Dr. Andrew Bagby is found dead in a park in Pennsylvania. He had been shot by his ex-girlfriend, who then fled to Canada, where she was able to walk free on bail, pregnant with Andrew's child. Andrew's enraged parents campaign to gain custody of the child and convict their son's killer. Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne pairs this story with home movies and interviews with those who knew Andrew, hoping to give his best friend's son an opportunity to discover who his dad was.
Director
Kurt Kuenne
Producer
Kurt Kuenne
Screenwriter
Kurt Kuenne
Production Co
MSNBC Network
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 31, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 24, 2016
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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