My Dad's Tapes
Documentary | 83 Minutes
Directed by Kurtis Watson
Produced & Edited by Rob Viscardis
All rights available
A trove of home video tapes spurs a filmmaker to investigate repressed parts of his past and come to terms with his own identity. A search for the cause of his father’s sudden suicide turns into a cathartic journey of reconnection and healing.
Synopsis:
On August 9, 2006, Leonard Watson dropped off his eight-year-old son Kurtis at summer camp. That’s the last time anyone saw him. No bags packed, no calls, no activity in the bank account, no note: Watson disappeared, leaving his family behind. He was considered missing until 30 days later, when he was found dead by apparent suicide.
Fourteen years later, Kurtis Watson discovers a trove of home videos—hundreds of hours recorded by his father leading up to his death—a discovery that inspires a painstaking search for answers in recorded moments, family testimonials, and conversations with people connected to the event in any way, including the Watson family themselves, who come together for the first time to talk about the weight of this memory in their lives. Discoveries of small details lead to impactful and revelatory moments for them, revealing an ever-present stigma around mental health. My Dad’s Tapes documents the tremendously brave embrace of a reality in which some of our most burning questions may forever be unanswered. To hold each other close is all that matters.
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This film tackles themes of suicide, mental health, grief and sexual identity through the lens of a captivating personal story, that is great for generating discussion and providing context for community connection and education.
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“A collection of family movies inspired a young filmmaker to learn more about his late father. He created a documentary to shine a light on the mental health struggles that have impacted his family. CTV’s Carol Charles has his story.”
“The process of revisiting these tapes and memories affords Watson much-needed encouragement to identify the burden of carrying secrets. It seems fitting that these images inspire such an impressive and sensitive feature directorial debut.”
“Cutaways is a personal essay series where Canadian filmmakers tell the story of how their film was made. This Hot Docs 2024 edition by Rob Viscardis and Kurtis Watson focuses on their film My Dad’s Tapes.”
“In 2006, Leonard Watson was discovered dead weeks after he had gone missing from his home in Clarington. Watson’s youngest child, Kurtis was 8 years old at the time. His father’s death left him with many questions as an adult. And those questions guide his latest film, My Dad’s Tapes, which is airing at the Hot Docs Film Festival. Kurtis Watson was in our studio to talk about the film. And a warning, this conversation will touch on the subject of suicide.”