In the spring of 2022, the Amerikazentrum Hamburg invited American documentary filmmakers Mark Pedri and Carrie McCarthy to Greifswald and Hamburg to present their film Dear Sirs to a German audience.

Dear Sirs is a film about Mark’s grandfather, Silvio Pedri, who fought on the front lines in France during World War II and was captured by German forces, eventually ending up in a labor camp in Sandbostel. Silvio Pedri survived his captivity and returned to his home in Wyoming with his wife Rena. They started a family and lived a fulfilling life.

The Secret Life of Silvio Pedri

Mark spent a lot of time with his grandfather, but Silvio never spoke a word about his wartime experiences to his descendants. Silvio passed away in 2010. When Mark and Carrie cleaned out Silvio’s house in Wyoming, they discovered numerous letters and photos from his past. Fascinated, they decided to explore Silvio’s past in Europe and document it on film. They quickly hit a wall with their research in Wyoming and decided to travel to Europe, cycling the route that Silvio had walked during the war. During their journey through Silvio’s past, Mark and Carrie met many people who could shed more light on the situation at the time. The result of their journey is the poignant documentary Dear Sirs.

Greifswald, Sandbostel, Hamburg: The Film Tour Through Northern Germany

Northern Germany was on their list because Silvio had been held in Sandbostel. The northern German film tour of Dear Sirs began in Greifswald, where Carrie and Mark, along with the Amerikazentrum, visited the University of Greifswald. They engaged with students in a seminar about their documentary. The Amerikazentrum, in close cooperation with the University of Greifswald, then organized a screening of Dear Sirs. Many interested viewers attended, and the film deeply moved the audience in Greifswald, prompting reflections, especially in light of the current conflict in Ukraine.

Mark and Carrie then travelled to Hamburg. There, Amerikazentrum, in collaboration with the Abaton Cinema, arranged another screening of Dear Sirs. Besides numerous guests, Consul General Darion Akins gave a welcoming speech, thanking Mark and Carrie for their work and for sharing their remarkable documentary with us.

Here you can watch the trailer.