Forgetting Dad (2008)

Forgetting Dad: Directed by Rick Minnich, Matt Sweetwood. One week after a seemingly harmless car accident, a 45-year-old man suffers total amnesia. Christening himself the “New Richard,” he embarks upon a new life with a new wife far away from his family. Sixteen years later, his oldest son returns with a camera to investigate why his father’s memory never returned.

“Each year red jet films of Seattle attends IDFA – International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. In November 2008, two Americans now living in Berlin – Directors Rick Minnich and Matt Sweetwood, produced my personal favorite and winner of the IDFA Special Jury Award – u0026quot;Forgetting Dadu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;One week after a seemingly harmless car accident, a 45-year-old man loses his memory. He christens himself u0026quot;New Richardu0026quot; and begins a new life with a new wife far away from his old family. Sixteen years later, his filmmaker son Rick Minnich returns to investigate why his fatheru0026#39;s memory never returned.u0026quot; u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMy husband Jeff and I got to spend several moments with Rick and Matt after the world premiere of u0026quot;Forgetting Dadu0026quot;. Although Rick now lives in Berlin, his story begins in California – where he grew up – and ends in a tiny town in Oregon. All the more interesting for us since weu0026#39;ve ridden our Harley to each and every spot that the story takes place and unfolds.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Forgetting Dadu0026quot; is a beautifully produced, well told story of one manu0026#39;s journey to find answers to questions that have haunted him and his family since amnesia took his Father from them. I walked away reminded once again of the fragility of life, of perceptions and misperceptions, family dynamics, secrets, dysfunction – and that life is not delivered to us wrapped up in a neat, tidy, uncomplicated little package.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt has been about four months since I had the pleasure of seeing this movie – and am surprised that I still think about it on a weekly basis. It is definitely worth the time to seek out and watch u0026quot;Forgetting Dadu0026quot;.”