Ohio Goes to The Movies: HE'S ONLY MISSING + LETTING GO with Special Guest Robin Smith

Filmmaker Robin Smith shares personal documentaries about her father's fate during the Vietnam War

Mar. 29, 2026 at 11:00pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, worn military dog tag against a dark, shadowy background, conveying a sense of melancholy and loss associated with the Vietnam War era.A poignant relic from a painful chapter of history, the weathered military dog tag serves as a somber reminder of the personal sacrifices made during the Vietnam War.Athens Today

The Athena Cinema in Athens, Ohio is hosting a special event on March 29th featuring two documentaries by Ohio University alumna Robin Smith. The films, 'He's Only Missing' and 'Letting Go', chronicle Smith's family's decades-long search for answers about the fate of her father, Colonel Robert N. Smith, a fighter pilot who was declared Missing in Action during the Vietnam War in 1969. Smith will introduce the films and participate in a reception before the screening.

Why it matters

The screening provides a personal and poignant look at the impact of the Vietnam War on families whose loved ones went missing in action. The films offer a unique perspective on the long-lasting trauma and uncertainty experienced by those left behind, as well as the eventual resolution that can come from uncovering the truth, even decades later.

The details

The event will take place on Sunday, March 29th at 7:00 p.m. at the Athena Cinema in Athens, Ohio. Admission is free, but tickets are required. A reception with filmmaker Robin Smith will be held from 6:00-7:00 p.m. prior to the screening. The two films being shown are 'He's Only Missing' (1978, 30 min), which explores the 'state of limbo' Robin and her family experienced not knowing if their loved one was dead or alive, and 'Letting Go' (1995, 12 min), which documents Robin's trip to Vietnam decades later to uncover answers about her father's fate.

  • The event will take place on Sunday, March 29th, 2026.
  • The reception with Robin Smith will be from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on March 29th.
  • The film screening will begin at 7:00 p.m. on March 29th.

The players

Robin Smith

An Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and Ohio University alumna who created the documentaries 'He's Only Missing' and 'Letting Go' about her father, Colonel Robert N. Smith, a fighter pilot declared Missing in Action during the Vietnam War in 1969.

Colonel Robert N. Smith

A fighter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps who was declared Missing in Action after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam in 1969.

The Athena Cinema

A historic movie theater in Athens, Ohio that is hosting the special event screening of Robin Smith's documentaries.

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What they’re saying

“We were asleep when the telegram arrived. Two Marines in uniform, feeling out of place in Athens, Ohio, stood nervously on our front porch. Mom's face must have betrayed her deepest fear. The colonel, my father's friend, rushed in. 'Jane, he's only missing!'”

— Robin Smith, Filmmaker

What’s next

Tickets for the event are required and can be reserved in advance on the Athena Cinema's website. The screening is free and open to the public.

The takeaway

Robin Smith's personal documentaries provide a powerful and emotional window into the long-lasting impact of the Vietnam War on military families whose loved ones went missing in action. The screening offers an opportunity for the community to reflect on this history and honor the sacrifices of those who served.