Documentary “Daughters” Follows Girls Separated From Their Fathers By Incarceration
Netflix has dropped the trailer for “Daughters,” the upcoming emotional, acclaimed documentary that first debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Directed by Natalie Rae and Angela Patton, the film follows four young girls preparing for a special father-daughter dance with their incarcerated fathers, a part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C. jail.
Girls for a Change, which works to close opportunity gaps and mold future leaders, Patton devotes her time and energy to developing initiatives that meet the unique needs of her community — like Date with Dad. This program fosters father-daughter bonding for families separated by the carceral system. Fathers in the program participate in therapy sessions before the final event: a daddy-daughter dance in which the men trade their state-issued clothing for semiformal attire and reunite with their daughters for a sweet moment of familial closeness.
After a 2012 TEDWomen talk about Date with Dad went viral, filmmaker Natalie Rae approached Patton about chronicling the program on camera. Patton agreed, and after eight years of filming, “Daughters” will soon be available on Netflix. The critically acclaimed documentary premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, won the Audience Award in Documentary Competition, and was named overall Festival Favorite.
Here’s the official synopsis:
A moving portrait of empathy and forgiveness, Daughters traces an eight-year documentary journey by filmmaker Natalie Rae and social change advocate Angela Patton. The film intimately follows Aubrey, Santana, Raziah, and Ana as they prepare for a momentous Daddy-Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers. Speaking openly about their aspirations, dreams, and the emotional toll of their father’s absence, compounded by the constraints of virtual visits, these girls reveal a profound wisdom and resilience beyond their years. As they navigate heartbreak, anger, and uncertainty, they seize a precious opportunity to forge connections. “Daughters” sheds light on the complexities of familial bonds strained by the unforgiving barriers of the criminal justice system and emphasizes that the foundation of community healing lies within the family unit.
“Daughters” is co-directed by Rae and Patton and executive produced by Kerry Washington and a team of producers. It premieres on Netflix on Aug.14.