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The bond between dads and their daughters is an important one. For daughters, their dad often models what their future relationships should look like. For dads, their daughter can make them want to be a better man. And the Netflix documentary Daughters introduces an organization that’s working to build the father-daughter bond in the most challenging of situations.
Daughters follows four girls and their dads as they prepare for an important day. Through the Date with Dad program, they’re part of a group of dads and daughters allowed to attend a dance in the Washington, D.C., prison where the fathers are incarcerated. As the dads take part in a 10-week training program to discuss fatherhood and the importance of showing up in their daughters’ lives in any way possible, the girls, who range in age from 5 to 15, talk about the excitement and anxieties they experience as they prepare to reunite with their dads.
Instead of making the story about the dads—about their past, their choices, and what they did to end up behind bars—the film focuses on the present and the future for these families. As it introduces the girls, it shows their different situations, their challenges, and their personalities—from chatty little Aubrey, who idolizes her father, to 10-year-old Santana, who struggles with the anger and frustration that she feels over her dad’s inability to stay out of prison. And as it introduces the dads, it shows the love, the regret, and the fears that these men feel as they discuss what it means to be a father.
When the big day comes, it isn’t just a cute little party for some little girls; it’s a significant day for both dads and daughters. In many cases, these dads and daughters aren’t even allowed in-person visitation—so it’s a chance to connect, to build bonds, to see each other face-to-face, and to hug someone they haven’t been allowed to hug in a very long time. Witnessing their preparation, their anticipation, and their time together is an extremely emotional experience. It will absolutely break your heart, but it will also give you hope that programs like this one will make a difference in the lives of these families.
More than just documenting an event, Daughters goes deeper to explore the important bond between fathers and daughters—even as they struggle through years of separation. It’s a moving film filled with joy and heartbreak—so be sure to have the tissues handy.
You can join these dads and daughters as they prepare for their big day when Daughters arrives on Netflix on August 14, 2024.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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