"My grandpa always said that if something was worth doing, then it was worth doing right. That's why I decided to ride my bike across Germany in the middle of the winter to retrace his route as a WWII Prisoner of War, 75 years after he was there. Driving from town to town in the spring to smell the flowers at each stop didn't feel like the right way, but biking long, lonely stretches of frozen rural Germany did." -- Mark Pedri, Director of Dear Sirs​

From our Audiences

The film was heart rendering... A must see.
​-- Clarence, Sheridan, WY Screening

Dear Sirs is beautifully done. 
​-- Lillian, North Little Rock, Arkansas

It’s an amazing story. Take your friends.
-- Kim, Rock Springs, WY screening

A timeless film.
​-- Emergency War Surgeon, Jackson Hole, WY Screening

Such an inspiring story. So heartfelt​...
--The America Center, Hamburg

It brought tears to my eyes.
​-- ​​Derek, Ansbach, Germany

I can’t name another time when 4 generations of people sat in the same room for 90 minutes, transfixed on a film.
​-- Joel and Jean Miller Wernersville, Pennsylvania

To say, as a Soldier, I was emotional, is a complete understatement. I have never seen such a compelling documentary that hit me in the gut and in the heart. It is an incredible American story!
-- ​Ed Lundeen, Lexington, South Carolina
​   Master Sergeant Retired, United States Army, Lexington County Veterans’ Service Officer

Haunting, just can’t stop turning it over in one’s mind; in the way that truly classic films stay with a person. 
-- Lloyd, Jackson Hole, WY Screening, son of a WWII Veteran

Dear Sirs--Wow, what a film! It was hard; it was fun; it was profound. I can't get it out of my head, in a good way!
​SGT Silvio Pedri is my hero!
-- ​COL (R) Tim Sheppard

Dear Sirs is a film that must be shared with all generations... Filmmakers Mark and Carrie lovingly and accurately portrayed the history of Silvio, a POW, while at the same time, fully engaging the audience. Well done, is far too little to say about this remarkable film. 
-- Val Burgess, WWII POW Historian, Archivist, Educator and Speaker

As the largest War time Veterans service organization, it is our duty to help ensure that the stories of our predecessors are told to as many  people as possible. “To preserve the memories and incidents in all wars”. That's what we are doing when we supported the airing of this film. 
-- Mike Cooke, Wyoming American Legion State Commander 2020, Archie Hay Post WY 24

Screenings

We are showing Dear Sirs at film festivals across the country and community screenings! If you or your organization are interested in hosting a screening (in-person OR virtual) please go to our screenings page for more information.

Support the Film

We are a small team working to share this film and we are grateful for every bit of support we receive. Our film is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization. Contributions in support of the film are payable to IDA and are tax-deductible as allowed by law. 

To make a tax-deductible donation to the film, please click the link below to access the film's page hosted by the International Documentary Association. 

Make a Tax-Deductible Donation

The Team

Mark Pedri​
​Director/Writer
Mark is an expedition-based documentary filmmaker and writer from Southwestern Wyoming where he tells stories from off the beaten path. Mark founded Burning Torch Productions in 2014 as a nimble production company to focus on character-driven stories from the backcountry and backroads of the world. His films have played at international festivals, on national PBS, and screening tours around the world. Prior to making films full-time, Mark managed the Episodic Storytelling program at Sundance Institute. Mark has an MFA in Producing for TV and Film from the University of Southern California and an MA in Communication and Journalism from the University of Wyoming. 

Carrie McCarthy
Producer/Co-Director
Carrie McCarthy is a scientist turned producer who got her start working as a scientific film consultant. During her time in academia, Carrie was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to fund her research, which has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences worldwide. Under the shingle of Burning Torch Productions, Carrie and Mark co-produce documentaries, feature-length, and episodic content. Carrie is a hands-on producer who believes that being on the ground in the trenches is the only way to ensure the integrity of the project. She is driven by her endless curiosity to hunt down engaging stories with a unique perspective. Carrie has a PhD in Materials Chemistry from the University of Southern California.