Dear Zachary is the only film that has made me cry. But heres the plot. Markesteyn specifically cited poor communication between social services officials, who worked on the presumption of Turner's innocence throughout the case and became more concerned for her welfare than for Zachary's. Bagby arrived at work in an "agitated" state and told Simpson about her appearance but dismissed Simpson's advice to not meet with her in private; Bagby subsequently promised to visit Simpson's house after talking to Turner that evening, but he never showed up. This led documentary filmmaker Kurt Kuenne, a close friend of Andrew, to interview Andrews relatives, friends and associates and capture their loving memories of him into a film designed to introduce the child to the father he never knew. The lyrics seem to parade in one ear and out the other. The next morning, Andrew didnt show up for work. Doucet said he was "disappointed" by the verdict, while David Bagby stated that he was happy with the precedent his case would be setting. There arent many documentaries likeDear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter, and receive our most chilling investigations sent straight to your inbox. The result is one of the saddest movies of all time (even the trailer will make you weep) and one of the most disturbing documentaries ever, so grab a box of tissues and read on to relive some of themost compelling aspects of Dear Zachary. - Elliot V. Kotek, Moving Pictures Magazine What is the French language plot outline for Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)? After consulting with his parents, Doucet moved to Westtown Township, Pennsylvania, United States in 1998. The film, released in 2008 entitled Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, had been intended as a tribute to Andrew Bagby that Zachary could appreciate when he got older. Knowing his grandson was in danger in the care of Turner, who repeatedly established how unfit she was to be a mother, David lay in bed at night thinking of what he could do to save the child. The man contacted the RNC on three occasions to complain about Turner's harassment, which both violated the terms of her bail and was considered grounds to lose custody of Zachary. It is about Kuenne's close friend Andrew Bagby, who was murdered after Bagby ended a relationship with a woman named Shirley Jane Turner. She confesses her profuse love for this song, but she doesnt even understand it. WebDear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a 2008 American documentary film written, produced, directed, edited, and scored by Kurt Kuenne. [19], Two scholarships have been established in tribute to Andrew David Bagby and his son. On Aug. 13, 2003, Turner, still fighting extradition, took Zachary to Conception Bay. Yes! If you know me, I literally cry in every movie I see, so this question was not out of the ordinary. The 2008 documentary is directed by Kurt Kuenne, who began filming when his childhood friend Justice Gale Welshmaintained that "there is no indication of a psychological disorder that would give concern about potential harm to the public generally.". Newfoundland social service workers interviewed the children, who stated that their "disciplinarian" mother punished them with spankings and beatings by belt. Lists about some of the most shocking and upsetting documentary films & series that you should totally watch anyway. In a later interview with an assessment officer at the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, the supervising physician, in hindsight, described Turner as "a manipulative, guiltless psychopath." A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son. After the murder, Turner, now accused of killing Andrew, announces she is four months pregnant with Andrews child. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is easily one of the most traumatic films I've ever seen. Magnolia Pictures. She hung the fake pregnancy over Bagby's head and used it to harass any woman who was close withhim. Road-tripping with your friends? I think back to the day I met him; the day I started loving someone more than I have ever loved myself. He had been shot five times. When confronted with this evidence, Turner claimed that she met with Bagby at Keystone State Park but that he put the gun in his trunk. People We Want to See on a Comedy Central Roast. In one of the film's many shocking turns,it's revealed Turner was pregnant with Andrew's child when she took his life, and much of the film follows the efforts of Andrew's parents, Kate and David Bagby, to gain custody of the young child, Zachary. He went to Newfoundland and visited Zachary in July 2003. Nobody from the department of social services contacted Turner, and the case was dropped on January 11, 1994. She arranged to meet Bagby at Keystone State Park that evening, where Bagby was found dead the following morning, having been shot five times. She went so far as to discharge her family law lawyer because of his positive attitude towards the Bagbys. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. WebDear Zachary is the sort of documentary that, in delivering its debilitating news, ensures that every person in the theater leaves their seat with the strongest reminder to continue to cherish those they love, and to reminisce without mercy for those they've loved and lost. "Dear Zachary" (2008) is Kurt Kuenne's directoral debut, a homage to his murdered friend, addressed to said friend's child. [5] Perpetrator Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society2. If you're looking for an extremely disturbing documentary film, you'll find it on these lists! Standards have been set for centuries regarding expectations surrounding dress, especially for women. It also received the Special Jury and Audience Awards at the Cinequest Film Festival, was named an Audience Favorite at Hot Docs, received the Audience Awards at the St. Louis International Film Festival and the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, was named Best Documentary at the Orlando Film Festival, and was awarded the Jury Award for Best International Documentary at Docville (Belgium). [12], Turner's body was found on a beach by a vacationing couple, with Zachary's body discovered nearby. Kuenne initially intended for Dear Zachary to be a private project for Andrew Bagbys friends and family. Markesteyn ultimately concluded that internal disagreements between caseworkers and managers weren't openly discussed and that an intervention by an outside office should have been made. The organizations that named it one of the best films of 2008 included: Time Out Chicago, The Oregonian, the Times Herald-Record, Slant Magazine, and WGN Radio Chicago. One note had been addressed to Doucet and the other to her psychiatrist; the latter read, "I am not evil, just sick." Turner insisted that she would earn "big money" after completing her post-residency training and would repay the savings for her children's post-secondary education. However, Newfoundland Justice Gale Welsh believed Turner, then 40, wasn't a threat to society, despite the murder charges awaiting her in Pennsylvania. Kuennes documentary instead puts the victim before the crime. However, after Turner took her own life as well as the life of1-year-old Zachary in 2003, Kuenne's focus broadened to tell a largerstory of legal injustice, parenting, and(in the case of Kate and David)activism as a form of grief. Andrews later said that the law "gives [the Bagbys] some sense that someone has heard their cries so this will not happen again, to change the law to make sure something this tragic will never happen again. Yes! She even meant to implicate her brief lover by planting aused tampon and photos of herself and her child across his lawn in Connection Bay South before she didit. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, Benefiting off of the fact her student loans. His laptop, movie and music collection, and many other personal items were gone. A portion of the film also shows Kuenne meeting Zachary in Newfoundland in July 2003 to celebrate his first birthday, one month before his death; Shirley Turner is present during the visit, but Kuenne avoids her. Turner left her car parked near his home in the Kelligrews area of the town, with photographs of herself and Zachary, as well as a used tampon, on the front seat. Turner, meanwhile, is living as a free woman in Newfoundland. On November 6, Andrew's body was discovered in a park near his residence in Latrobe, PA. Parents Kate and David Bagby's story of identifying Andrew's body is devastating. When I saw the title, next to a 94 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I wasnt convinced. "[13], Martin Tsai of the New York Sun said the film "has so many unexpected developments that it plays like a first-rate thriller. Hear me out. Also in Turner's apartment were MapQuest printouts for road directions to Latrobe. I sit; prisoner to my own body. There's no shortage of harrowing documentaries, but Dear Zachary:A Letter to a Son About His Fatheris one of the most intense. Kuenne donated all profits from the film to scholarships established in the names of Andrew and Zachary Bagby.[2]. In addition, Turnercalled him repeatedly. Turner mixed a sedativeinto baby Zachary's formula and staged her car to look like her then-boyfriend was responsible for her next actions: she jumped into the Atlantic Ocean - at Conception Bay South off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada - with the baby strapped to her stomach. However, in January 2003 Justice Welsh again released her, arguing that the murder "was not directed at the public at large" and that Turner was presumed to be innocent.[10]. In 1983, Turner moved to Labrador City and worked as a science teacher. He expressed fear to police of "what Dr. Turner would do next. Dear Zachary, which unfolds chronologically, has not one but two major twists. Although its hard to watch, its a must-see. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a 2008 American documentary film written, produced, directed, edited, and scored by Kurt Kuenne. From Zero to Hero: Write Your Short in 30 days, Heres How To Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie Online Free: Is The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) Streaming On Prime Video, HBO Max Or Netflix, Heres How To Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie Online Free: Is The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) Streaming On Prime Video, HBO Max Or Netflix, Heres How To Watch John Wick: Chapter 4 Online Free: Is John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) Streaming On Peacock, HBO Max, Netflix Or At Home, Heres Where To Watch John Wick: Chapter 4 Free At Home Is John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) Movie Streaming Online now. by Johnny Brayson. Despite the distance between states, Turner and Bagby initially tried to maintain a long-distance relationship. I always felt Shirley Turner was putting on a show, as if she were playing the role but had no feeling for her work. Kurt Kuenne has made a documentary in a way that a film itself is made, with amazing editing patterns and with a story that really grabs you and moves you. [21], In December 2019,[22] a digitally remastered "10th Anniversary Edition" of Dear Zachary was released on DVD and Blu-ray. Happy finals week! The next twist is like a punch to the gut. Kuenne finished his documentary and dedicated it to the memories of both Bagby and Zachary. Were introduced to Andrew through a series of home videos, from Kurt and Andrew screwing around with a camera to Andrew delivering a speechat Kurts wedding. The lot number on a box of condoms found in Turner's Council Bluffs apartment matched a box purchased by Bagby in Latrobe on the night of the break-up. [9] David and Kathleen Bagby moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, in order to fight for custody of their son's child, while Turner eventually moved into her own apartment on Pleasant Street in St. John's. Bagby and Turner's relationship began to crumble, and Turner became increasingly possessive. To sign up, email glorie@theodysseyonline.com. On 4 July 2003, Turner met a young man at a bar in St. John's. ", Is there a greater nightmare than people hinting that your child is gone but not confirming it? And,with no evidence of tampering, it was highly likely Turner was the culprit. In one particularly heartbreaking scene, Andrews father David describes identifying his sons body in the morgue. 10 Disturbing Documentaries That Are Stranger Than Fiction. Haven't done anything all day Time to start cramming. Turner was wearing a black dress, carried a bouquet of red roses and had two suicide notes on her. Going beyond the tropes of a generic investigative documentary, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Father to a Son About His Father is deeply personal and frustratingly tragic, and it doesnt have a happy ending. You will curse the Canadian justice system for showing no concern for human life. A patient of the clinic refused to return after an encounter with Turner. The film is partly composed of home movies Kuenne and Bagby shot together as teenagers in California, and features interviews with Bagby's parents, extended family, friends, classmates, and colleagues, both before and after Zachary's murder. They kept a staggering long-distance relationship. The ultimate tragedy of this story came when Turner, in 2003, jumped into the Atlantic Ocean, holding her one-year-old baby Zachary in her arms. I am sorry I cannot say more about this film without ruining its unique premise. The bullets found in Bagby were also a match for the ones in Turners gun. [15], Dear Zachary was released on DVD on February 24, 2009, by Oscilloscope Laboratories. However, in the summer of 2000, Turner confessed to a relative that she had spent the baby bonuses on her own living expenses and doctoral education. Among those who named it one of the best films of 2008 were Time Out Chicago, The Oregonian, the Times Herald-Record, Slant Magazine, and WGN Radio Chicago. Everyone feels the desire for belonging and to fit in with the people around them. His intention was just to explore Bagbys life and interview those who knew him. It was concluded thather eldest daughter and son were often left unattended for days on end, and -when Turner was home -she would strike them with a variety of objects, ranging from open hands to belts. Were currently seeking writers to join our summer writing program. [15] The website Film School Rejects place the film third in their list of the "30 Best Films of the Decade". Want to spend your summer being creative and making some money on the side? [10] It premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in January 2008. 4. In October 2006, Winnipeg-based coroner Peter Markesteyn released the Turner Review and Investigation, which concluded that Zachary's death was preventable and criticised Newfoundland and Labrador's social services system for failing to protect the child from his mother, stating, "Nowhere did I find any ongoing assessment of the safety needs of the children." While Kenneth Kuennes documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father was named for the boy, he began filming before Turners pregnancy was even announced. When Kate reached down to wipe one away, she accidentally knocked out the plug used to mask his facial wound. Dear Zachary is an unsettling and horrific true-crime film created by her murder victim's close friend Kurt Kuenne, which exposes the timeline of Turner's history of erratic behavior and the murders of father and son Andrew and Zachary Bagby. She was released on bail in January 2003 by Judge Gale Welsh, who felt Turner did not pose a threat to society in general. Although it's hard to watch, it's a must-see. Not only will you gain valuable writing experience, but youll get to choose your own topics and write one response a week to one of our top trending articles. [11] She then drove with Zachary to nearby Conception Bay South, where the man she had met at the bar lived. Kate [Andrews mother] went to kiss him, he cries, and the plug came out where hed been shot in the left cheek.. Screening the film wherever they could, including directly to the Canadian Parliament, the pair along with the filmmaker insisted that Zachary's story become more than just a true-crime documentary- it needed to pushthe creation of legal reformations to protect future children. It has serious heart, and its unusual approach makes it all the more heartbreaking. Your brain hurts. Turner was 40 at the time, Andrew was 28. Turner later drove home and left a message on Bagby's answering machine. Little did I know this documentary would send me into a fit of hyperventilation and ugly crying. Dear Zachary is an unsettling and horrific true-crime film created by her murder victim's close friend Kurt Kuenne, which exposes the timeline of Turner's history of erratic behavior and the murders of father and son Andrew and Zachary Bagby. The film premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival, and was broadcast by MSNBC on 7 December 2008. [6] Turner gave birth to her second daughter on 8 March 1990, one year before she and her second husband separated. In the interim, one of Andrew Bagbys closest childhood friends, filmmaker Kurt Kuenne had begun making a documentary about the young doctor, titled Dear Zachary, an effort to tell the toddler about the father he never met. It's widely believed that if she hadn't been released, Zachary would probably still be alive today. Others included falsely taking the child and moving around the USunder assumed identities. Furious about this, Bagby drove Turner to the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and broke up with her over lunch, sending her on a plane back to Iowa. Related: 10 Terrifying True Stories of Killers Who Knew Their Victims. So here it is: If theres one documentary you need to watch before you die, its Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father. The conception of Zachary came shortly after this phone call. [2]:86. is not a cinematic marvel, and its frantic editing and heavy-handed imagery can be off-putting. Acting on statements by Simpson and others, the Pennsylvania State Police contacted Turner. One of Turner's former roommates became so alarmed by Turner's behavior towards her children that heabandoned his tenancy. She even spins. Dear Zachary also takes steps to highlight the flaws in the Canadian legal system & Bagbys parents exhausting battle to find justice for their lost son and grandson. Three years later, Turner and her second husband divorced, and she was granted custody of their daughter. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Youll never be out of style. Clare Regelbrugge, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. A judge released her using the logicthat "[h]er crime, while violent, was specific in nature," implying that she was not likely to harm anyone else.
