Daughters

Real, raw, and emotional. You could feel the genuine desire to become better from the fathers for their daughters. I loved the pure, unfiltered, and honest views from both the the fathers and daughters. I loved the soundtrack. I shed tears of joy and sadness because at the end of the day, we all need that unconditional love. I also enjoyed seeing the girls grow and point of view change. The passion from the mentors was beautiful, it was uplifting and you could tell it helped improve their self esteem and confidence. The documentary was beautifully produced and directed. I also applaud the family's for being vulnerable and honest. Beautiful. Ps. Have some tissues nearby.

Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

"Daughters" won the Audience Awards for Festival Favorite and U. S. Documentary which is well-deserved because the documentary is a great exploration of how prison is horrifying, the connections between fathers and daughters who are separated because of prison, and the challenging both sides are able to encounter.

With strong visual presentation, discussions, and insightful conversations, filmmakers Angela Patton and Natalie Rae were able to create a profound and meaningful documentary and the themes and concepts that were explored are well-executed. Each moments that were handled felt genuine and I did get emotional when watching this one.

Overall, it's one experience to witness especially for parents and families.

This is a VERY raw look at a program designed for fathers to get to have a dance date with their daughters while incarcerated.

There's no skimping the rough parts that are the realities that come with both the young children getting this rare opportunity and that aren't easy for them emotionally. Neither is it a field day for the men who aren't just some "hardened criminal" behind bars. They are men who truly understand what they're missing, as well as the harms from their actions, to their daughters.

It's also a moving, up close, personal experience for us to share these precious moments with them. The "roller coaster" as they stated. If you are in touch with your human side, the side that makes mistakes, or the parent that you may be, then you may be like me... crying through most parts of this documentary.

It's unlike most prison documentaries. It's one about the families on the inside and the other side of the barbed wire fence. What power those constraints hold.

Oh! And the youngest daughter and her father are two of the most beautiful people highlighted during this story.

Beware of when watching, your tears will want to flow no matter how hard you try to fight. A touching debut documentary from Angela Patton and Natalie Rae, Daughters is a showcase of the surplus of emotions the Date With Dad program brings to these young girls' lives. At times the film feels like it battles its own structure, leaving a questionable trail of decisions that made me think it would diminish what came before, however, such was not the case. Small decisions like shooting the dance on film made the experience more tangible and effective, ensuring the heart of the documentary never withers away.

This documentary was raw and important. It was real experiences of how important a father is to their daughter. No matter what socioeconomic status, fathers have a significant influence in a daughter's life. The importance of those who were leaders within the correctional facilities that were able to identify that this kind of raw personal experience is so important, should not be shadowed. This is rehabilitation, not only within the correctional facility, but also within the community. THIS IS HOW WE HEAL.

The daughters who were brave enough to share and display their experiences to the world. This will forever be apart of their story. The hope for the daughters to allow healthy male relationships to enter their lives, and to the fathers to allow for this rehabilitation to continue to allow them to heal and to be productive citizens within their communities.