Filling in the Blanks (2023)

In recent years, at-home DNA tests have become a popular gift. Sometimes the tests reveal more than just a family’s heritage or health history, uncovering things that were intentionally stashed behind a wall of secrecy. The documentary “Filling in the Blanks” is one such story. When Jon Baime expresses interest in learning about his family heritage at 54 years old, his dad demands Jon not take one until, to quote his 92-year-old father exactly, “I’m dead”. What’s a 54-year-old man to do when his father insists he shouldn’t take a DNA test until his death? Take one, of course. By tapping into the family’s huge collection of photos, films, and videos that spans nearly 70 years, Jon takes his audience on a journey to make sense of a family secret.