Daughters

Attended this screening last minute at the Hot Docs Film Festival and so glad I did.

This is a must watch documentary to see the father-daughter dance program at a prison in DC. Witness the unraveling emotions before, during & after the dance and how such a night was a life changing moment for inmates experiencing a glimpse of fatherhood for a moment in time. The effects of incarceration is sentimentally portrayed through families dealing with visitation limitations and the diminishing intimacy daughters have with their fathers behind bars as they progress through childhood.

This dance program being implemented in prisons across America has been proven to drastically reduce reincarnation rates of inmates and this emotional documentary shows why.

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.

You know when you haven't cried in a long time, and you get that sort of frog in your throat? You will cry. I don't think I've seen so much sincere expression of emotion in any movie, which was cathartic for me. I am crying right now thinking about it. Sundance 2024 was a good festival for authentic, heartfelt stories like this, with "Look into my Eyes" coming in second (also highly recommended).

Daughters is the true life "aftersun", all true stories of girls who are growing up separated from their dads. It was so, so well done.

Made me think I should call my dad. Walked into the freshmarket after having this thought and "call me maybe" was playing. Maybe I will call him. Idk what else to say.

This should absolutely win an Oscar.

This documentary is so important! It is so important for a lot of people to see, especially for those who live in America. I hope all the dads in this documentary have a close relationship with their daughters no matter happens. I hope more and more jails and prisons have this dance and that more and more change happens with these families. It was so emotional and beautiful to see these daughters with their fathers. I really hope good things and good seasons and good times happen for these families and protection and safety for them as well. So many people need to see to see what so many black men go through and black families go through.

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.