To My Father

Troy Kotsur’s recent Oscar win for his supporting role in Coda catapulted him into the spotlight. But Kotsur’s life would not be what it is now if it wasn’t for his father…and Kotsur wants to make that clear. Directed and written by Sean Schiavolin, the short film To My Father pays homage to Troy Kotsur’s father Leonard (Len) and the impact that he had on him through childhood struggles, Len’s car accident that impacted the communication between father and son and, ultimately, towards Troy’s successes that he attributes to his relationship with his father. 

For Troy, childhood was tough with being deaf. But Len, who was the police chief in Mesa, Arizona, did not allow that impairment to hinder his son’s childhood. Eager to bridge the gap and make Troy feel more included, Len learned sign language and found visual cues to remind Troy that he was always thinking of him. Even when Troy was enrolled at a school for the Deaf, his parents encouraged him to make friends and communicate with neighborhood kids. It was during his childhood that Troy also found love for the show “Tom and Jerry,” excitedly telling the storylines to his classmates and discovering a newfound passion of storytelling.  

Sadly, Len would suffer a terrible car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down….and would potentially sever the ability for Troy and his father to communicate. However, Len persevered and did not let his disability stop him from continuing his career as Chief of Police. Len’s dedication to keep going gave Troy the strength he needed to keep moving as well. And when Troy graduated high school, he showed his father his speech where he shared that he was going to pursue a career in filmmaking. And although Len passed away in 2001, Troy continued to work hard and pursue his career…leading up to landing the role in Coda. 

Director Sean Schiavolin brings on the tears and a sentiment tugging on our paternal heartstrings with To My Father. While many stories tend to focus on the maternal figures in our life, it is refreshing to find that Troy speaks so highly of his father and wants to honor his memory through a medium that he can relay that message. And for Kotsur, that honoring means everything to him. I especially loved how there were cutaways to tell Kotsur’s story, very much in the same type of storytelling that compelled him to pursue a career in film. But more importantly, Schiavolin gives Kotsur the space to be honest and emotional in his narrative. You could feel the love through Kotsur’s emphatic gestures coupled with the re-enacted scenes. It is obvious and tender to witness just how much of an impact Troy’s father had on his life, whether it be in the little gesture of using his police car lights to signal that he was home or encouraging his deaf child to not allow his impairment stop him from having a normal life.  

By the time Kotsur is taking the stage to accept his Oscar, his hard work has finally paid off. And even though his father is not around to see it, he gives him that final acknowledgement – the ultimate “thank you” to the person who helped shape and influence his career in the largest way, to the man who he calls his “hero.” Send your heart a sign by watching the sweet and sentimental short film To My Father.