With their debut documentary Daughters, co-directors Natalie Rae and Angela Patton chart the emotional reunions that transpire between four incarcerated fathers and their daughters at a special Daddy Daughter Dance held inside a Washington, D.C. jail, the idea of which sprung from conversations that Patton held with the young Black girls of her nonprofit organization, Girls For A Change. The film, executive-produced by Kerry Washington, follows the men as they take part in a 10-week Fatherhood Responsibility Program and also documents the trajectories of the mothers and daughters preparing to reunite with their family members in prison.

When the day arrives, the father-daughter pairs experience an evening of joy and connection, but after only a few precious hours, their time together draws to a close. The camera cuts to piles of ties, shoes, and other discarded clothing items worn by the men; the fathers, who were dressed in suits for the occasion, walk out of view dressed in regulation orange jumpsuits. The image underscores the heartbreak of separation yet holds space for the hope of future reunions beyond the walls of the penal system. 

Says Patton: “I’m hoping that the film can be used as a tool for awareness, changing policy, and even changing your own mindset on how you live and forgive.”