107 min, colour
Synopsis
Four young girls prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C. jail. For most of the daughters, the dance will be the only time they will be able to touch or hug their fathers during sentences, some of which are as long as 20 years.
A moving lesson in empathy and forgiveness, Daughters is a result of an eight-year documentary journey that filmmaker Natalie Rae and Angela Patton, an activist advocating for “at-promise” girls, embarked upon. As Aubrey, Santana, Raziah, and Ja’Ana get ready for the special event, they speak candidly about their hopes, dreams, and disappointments. There is an innate wisdom and honesty to what they share about their dads’ inconsistent presence; an awareness far beyond their years. Daughters meaningfully challenges many stereotypes around incarceration and serves as a poignant reminder that maintaining family bonds can be both healing and empowering.
Crew
Directors: Natalie Rae, Angela Patton
Producers: Justin Benoliel, Kathryn Everett, Laura Choi Raycroft, Sam Bisbee, Lisa Mazzotta, Mike Hasinoff
Cinematographer: Michael Cambio Fernandez
Editors: Adelina Bichiș, Troy Lewis
Sound Designers: Adrian Aurelius, Philip Nicolai Flindt
Music: Kelsey Lu
Festivals & Awards
Audience Award for the U.S. Documentary Competition and Festival Favorite Award at Sundance Film Festival (USA)
Sally Robinson Audience Award at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (USA)
Sundance Film Festival (USA)
True False FIlm Festival (USA)
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (USA)
Cleveland Film Festival (USA)
Hot Docs International Documentary Festival (Canada)
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