About the film

Dear Papa is an intimate, emotionally driven short film about quiet sacrifices and unspoken love between an aging father and his adult son.

Nearly eighty years old, the father continues to work gruelling days, hiding his failing health and refusing medical check-ups to save money for his son’s future. To him, providing is love. Words are unnecessary. Every dollar tucked away is an act of devotion. The son, working a low-paying part-time job, carries a different burden. He struggles with shame over his limited earnings and lives in fear that his father rooted in an older generation would never accept him for who he truly is: a gay man in love. Their shared home is filled with silences, meals eaten together but emotions left untouched.

When the father’s health finally collapses, the carefully guarded truths surface. The son learns the depth of his father’s sacrifice, and in a fragile hospital room, he finally finds the courage to speak his truth. Instead of rejection, he discovers unconditional acceptance his father’s love never depended on money, success, or identity.

In the aftermath, the son steps forward into life with newfound freedom knowing he was always loved exactly as he is.

Why fund this film?

Dear Papa is a deeply emotional story about sacrifice, family, identity, and unconditional love. A story many will connect and see themselves in.

This is a film about the things we wish we said sooner. Inspired by real emotions and the quiet strength of fathers who gave everything for their children without ever asking for recognition.

Your support will help us secure locations, production design, costumes, thoughtful casting, and care for our cast & crew as we bring this heartfelt story to life with the honesty it deserves.

Every contribution, no matter the amount, helps make this film possible.

Help us turn Dear Papa into a love letter to the fathers who shaped us.

Funding

We are aiming to raise £7000 to help cover the cost of production, specifically cast, crew expenses and locations. You will see a rough breakdown of our budget below. 

Meet the Production Team

Daryl D'Cotta, Lead Producer | Actor 

Hi I’m Daryl D’Cotta, the Lead Producer & Actor of the short film — Dear Papa.

This isn’t just a film I’m producing, it’s a story I carry with me based on my real life experiences. Dear Papa means so much to me because it bridges that gap. It’s about seeing our fathers not just as providers, but as human beings. And it’s about realising that real love is often there long before we find the courage to acknowledge it. As both Producer and Actor, this story challenged me to sit in that silence… to understand it… and to finally give it a voice. 

🩵💙 This film goes out to my Dad and all fathers out there!

🕊️ Lastly, due to recent events, this film will now also be a tribute to a close friend who recently passed. Someone who cheered me on and wanted to watch my film but never got a chance to. 

Ran Wang, Director

Hi, I’m Ryan Wang, a London-based short film director and MA Directing student at MetFilm School. I’m interested in the tiny emotional earthquakes that happen inside families — the things left unsaid, the memories that linger, and the love that doesn’t always know how to express itself. Dear Papa is a small, personal story built from those quiet feelings.

Luke Petenbrink, Cinematographer 

Hello, my name is Luke Petenbrink and I’m the cinematographer for Dear Papa. I’m really excited and honored to be a part of a film so beautiful. It reflects something I think a lot of us feel but don’t always say out loud. I’m really close with my dad, and being part of this film gave me the opportunity to reflect on how much gratitude I have for him and the people who have supported me throughout my life.

I hope this film can serve as a thank you letter to all dad’s and the other unsung heroes. There are so many people that support me and I hope this can be a small way I can give back. 

Dear Papa is a film that gives us opportunity to express the love and gratitude that often goes unspoken.

Hannah Comrie, Assistant Producer | Camera Operator 

Hello, my name is Hannah Comrie, and I am the Assistant Producer and Camera Operator for Dear Papa. 

When Daryl first spoke about Dear Papa, I was in tears.  He spoke about how much his father means to him with all the sacrifices his dad has made to see his not so little boy live his dreams. This is a story that from the beginning, even when it was just two close friends speaking about family,  already meant so much to me. It resonated with my own family and the sacrifice and belief they have always shown me in pursuing my dream and I knew it was a film I wanted to be involved in. I was honoured when Daryl asked me to be his Assistant Producer and help bring this film to life. We can’t wait to share this film with the world.

Dear Papa is in honour of dads, but also the families behind creatives, who are always there to support when their dreams seem so out of reach.