To Bathe in Filmic Waters

Dear Zachary | Kurt Kuenne, 2008

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, to use its full title, is physical proof that just about anyone can make a film if provided with a passion upon which to base it. Kurt Kuenne is a young documentary filmmaker with some experience, so knew at once that he should use this talent for good when he decided upon making Dear Zachary. It was early in 2002 and Kurt’s dear friend Dr. Andrew Bagby had been murdered some months previous by his deranged ex-lover Dr. Shirley Turner. As Andrew’s parents vowed to fight for justice, news filtered through that the freed Shirley was pregnant with Andrew’s child, and thus, Dear Zachary was conceived. A loving portrait of a Father, created to satisfy the curiosity of an unborn son whose home life was broken before it even began, Dear Zachary begins as a rough but loving tribute though quickly turns into a fast-paced crime thriller of sorts, with enough twists and turns to satisfy even your most enthusiastic of Hollywood producers. On reflection the real life story lends itself more to a TV special, or at least a film made for this kind of audience, yet Dear Zachary is somehow bigger than this. It’s a perfect example of how crisp, sharp editing can turn a relatively sketchy approach and mountains of footage into something rather special.

One flaw I would point out is that Dear Zachary is understandably one-sided. We are left in no doubt who the villain of this real life tragedy is, yet Kuenne’s obvious hatred towards Shirley Turner surfaces more often than not. He goes to great lengths to demonise her for what is undoubtedly an act of incomprehensible evil, and thus she takes on something that is almost alien. Her cracked, pandering voice is played back over and over in order to enhance her character’s villainous air, and this refusal to even attempt to understand her position in all of this I believe takes something away from the film – yet is understandable all the same. Dear Zachary is the kind of documentary that has evidently been made out of burning passion on a shoestring budget yet is no less powerful as a result. In fact, in a year of emotionally un-compelling films, Dear Zachary goes against the tide in quite devastating fashion to force critics and audiences alike to their knees in anguish. Kuenne’s work is cogent enough that a solid conclusion can be drawn and the film can be rounded off perfectly to leave the viewer feeling something slightly more positive than the real-life story provides.

Our Rating: