Today I watched the film, Dear Zachary. If you’re unfamiliar with it, it was named the best documentary of 2008 by a whole host of people, and you can watch it online through Netflix. The film just blew me away.
Dear Zachary is a documentary by filmmaker Kurt Kuenne. Following the murder of his best friend, Andrew Bagby, Kuenne decides to make a documentary as a memorial. He structures the film as a letter to Bagby’s newborn son, like a vicarious way for the boy to get to know the day he will have the chance to experience in real life. But in life and film making the simplest of premises often don’t end up panning out over the long haul of the process. And in an unbelievable plot twist the film turns from a poignant portrait to a gut wrenching documentation showcasing the best and the worst of humanity.
Dear Zachary is a great film, not because of the fantastic visuals, enormous budget or high end computer tricks. In fact, Kuenne pretty much did everything himself. What sets it apart is the skill of the storytelling. The intricate craft of building a structure where Kuenne is your guide through the process of getting to know Andrew, revealing to you the facts of his murder and how it appears to be clearly at the hands of his now pregnant ex-girlfriend, and taking you with him on the journey that follows through the legal system seeking justice for Andrew and a future for his unborn son Zachary.
It’s a film that to me epitomizes documentary film making at it’s best, relying soley on the power of story and a stripped down, simple, bare bones style that doesn’t clutter or distract from the message. You should definitely check it out, but I will warn you, be prepared to cry…hard.
Get more information on the film online at: http://www.dearzachary.com/