Daughters: Documentary shows ‘profound’ impact of dance event in prisons

It is unusual for an activist who created the central project to have a co-director role in the film.

“I think there are conversations to be had about the filmmaking ethics of Patton’s undiscussed capacity as both co-director and onscreen catalyst,” noted the Hollywood Reporter’s Daniel Fienberg, external, “but there’s little doubt that her presence contributed to the openness of the four girls who serve as the primary protagonists.”

But Patton says it “was just another platform for me to tell a story”, adding that making a film felt like a natural progression from writing books, delivering Ted Talks and doing community work.

Rae jokes that the film benefits from having “a 200% director”, adding: “I just thought the film would be better going through the filter of each of us.”

“And of course there are gaps in my experience, and that’s obviously very important to the story.”

The film does not suggest the men should not be in prison. Instead, its central message is the importance of the father-daughter relationship, and how it should be maintained while the men are in prison.

Director Rae reflects: “Being from the girls’ perspective, and with the girls being innocent of any crime, all these girls deserve love and access to a parent who can communicate with them. So what the fathers did is really beside the point.

“And I also believe these men are human beings who deserve love and relationships with their children. So we left [their crimes] out of the film completely.”

Instead, the film highlights that limitations on in-person visits and the prohibitive costs of phone or video calls prevent the amount of contact both sides would like.

Many US prisons today use apps, demonstrated in the film, which show pricing tiers where family members can purchase different levels of access to the inmates.

“We believe kids’ rights to their parents should be protected, and touch visits should be a human right,” Rae says, “and the prison system shouldn’t be profiting on family separation by allowing tech companies to come in and sell these apps.”

Patton hopes for more dances in the future. “Because it was done once, and everybody came out without any bumps and bruises, then obviously it can be replicated.”

She is delighted that other prisons have since adopted the idea without her involvement.

“I don’t want to do all the work!” she laughs. “Some people said ‘Oh they copied you’, and I’m like, ‘that’s what I’m excited about!’ When you’re a community activist, you don’t own anything.”