A Letter to Dad

The filmmaker's father dies unexpectedly in a Serbian hospital. He died alone, having informed no one of his admission. Why not? The son's mind fills with unanswered questions, and they become even more pressing as he sorts through his father's belongings: his photos, letters, and videotapes. Questions arise about his youth in former Yugoslavia, about his parents' relationship, and about the war that impacted his family as it did so many others. Did his father's relationships influence the life choices he made? In this highly personal film, Keca talks with his mother, his father's childhood friends, and his alcoholic uncle. The ensuing emotional conversations show how ordinary citizens were not immune from being drawn into the horrors of the Balkan war, and how many of them are still trying to cope with the consequences. He also examines the actions of those same ordinary citizens, including his father. Can the many video recordings the father made of his two sons when they were children provide any definitive answers? Or can Keca perhaps dig up the past with stories his interviewees would rather not tell? The son uses his voice-over to "update" his father on his discoveries: "Hey Dad, Mom has been protecting you all these years."