AARP Offers Virtual Documentary Event from Wyoming Filmmaker

Mark Pedri/Burning Torch Productions

Film Features a man who retraces his grandfather’s  footsteps as a POW across Germany 75 years later

AARP Wyoming offers a free virtual screening of “Dear Sirs,” a 90-minute documentary detailing a grandson’s retracing of the horrifying journey of an American POW from Rock Springs during World War II.

Once you register for the event, AARP Wyoming will send you a link, which allows you to watch the film any time and as many times as you wish from Feb. 19-21. Then, join AARP Wyoming and the filmmakers at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 for a virtual hour-long question-and-answer period. 

To register for this event, visit AARP.cventevents.com/dearsirs.

About The Film

Filmmaker Mark Pedri had never heard his grandfather Silvio’s story despite spending nearly every day together for 10 years. It wasn’t until after Silvio’s death that Mark found an archive of old photos, letters, and documents detailing Silvio’s journey as a Prisoner of War (POW) in World War II. The discovery inspired Mark to bike over 500 miles across Europe, following the original Prisoner of War transportation routes, in an effort to tell his grandfather’s story and better understand the man who helped raise him.

A trailer for the film can be seen here. 

The film has received critical acclaim and has been shown at film festivals in France, Napa Valley, and the United Kingdom.

About the Filmmaker

The film’s director, Pedri is a Wyoming native who works as a filmmaker and writer out of Southwest Wyoming through his company, Burning Torch Productions. Pedri is a Wyoming native who earned a Masters of Arts in Communications from the University of Wyoming, as well as a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California. 

To learn more about the film, click here. To learn more about this event and all our virtual offerings, visit aarp.org/wy