Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
8.5 IMDb
96 Rotten Tomatoes

Where To Watch Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Kurt Kuenne created this heartbreaking documentary as a personal video letter for young Zachary Andrew Turner, the son of his murdered best friend Andrew Bagby. What begins as a touching tribute slowly transforms into one of the most emotionally devastating true-crime documentaries ever made. Using childhood videos, interviews, photographs, and deeply personal memories, the film paints Andrew as a joyful, funny, and compassionate doctor loved by everyone around him. His parents, David Bagby and Kathleen Bagby, become the emotional core of the story as they fight through grief, legal failures, and an international custody battle involving Andrew’s ex-girlfriend Shirley Turner. Unlike typical crime documentaries, Dear Zachary feels intensely personal because it was never originally intended for public release. The raw editing style, emotional narration, and shocking twists make it unforgettable for viewers worldwide.

  • Release Date: October 31, 2008
  • Director: Kurt Kuenne
  • Genre: Documentary , Crime , Biography , Psychological , Drama
  • Duration: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
  • Language: English
  • Starring: Zachary Andrew Turner
  • Box Office: Not Available
  • Where To Watch: Prime Video

More details about Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father and where you can watch

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father became one of the most emotionally powerful documentaries ever made because it was created from a deeply personal place rather than as a commercial film project. Director Kurt Kuenne originally intended the movie to be a private keepsake for Zachary so he could one day understand the kind of person his father, Andrew Bagby, truly was. As the tragic real-life events unfolded, the documentary transformed into something much larger, eventually gaining worldwide recognition through strong word-of-mouth recommendations and online discussions.

One of the most unique aspects of the film is its raw editing style, which uses fast-paced montages, emotional narration, real home videos, photographs, and interviews to place viewers directly inside the grief and confusion experienced by Andrew’s loved ones. The documentary had a relatively small budget but still became critically acclaimed, earning extremely high audience scores and a lasting reputation as one of the most heartbreaking true-crime documentaries ever released. The film also sparked conversations about flaws in the Canadian legal and child protection systems, leading to increased public awareness surrounding the case. Many viewers and critics continue to recommend watching the documentary completely spoiler-free because of its shocking emotional impact and unforgettable storytelling.

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Did You Know

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father was originally created as a private video message for Zachary so he could learn about his father, Andrew Bagby. Director Kurt Kuenne used real home videos and personal footage to make the story feel deeply emotional and authentic. Despite its small budget and limited release, the documentary became famous worldwide through word-of-mouth and is now considered one of the most heartbreaking documentaries ever made.