There’s little we love more than a documentary at the moment; in fact, it’s repeatedly proven itself to be the most popular TV genre in the UK. So, when we learned that Netflix is releasing an emotional new documentary film with a cool 100% ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, we immediately added it to our watchlist.

Premiering on 14 August, Natalie Rae’s award-winning film shines a light on the Date With Dad programme developed by Angela Patton, CEO of the nonprofit organisation Girls for a Change, which strives to empower Black girls.

Watch the trailer for Daughters below:

Here’s what you need to know.

What is Daughters about?

As per the official synopsis, the film follows four young girls – Aubrey, Santana, Raziah and Ja’Ana – as they prepare for a momentous daddy-daughter dance with their incarcerated fathers.

“Speaking openly about their aspirations, dreams and the emotional toll of their fathers’ absence, compounded by the constraints of virtual visits, these girls reveal a profound wisdom and resilience beyond their years,” it reads.

“As they navigate heartbreak, anger and uncertainty, they seize a precious opportunity to forge connections. Daughters sheds light on the complexities of familial bonds strained by the unforgiving barriers of the criminal justice system and emphasises that the foundation of community healing lies within the family unit.”

What is the Date With Dad programme?

The documentary shines a light on the Date With Dad programme established by Patton, which aims to foster father-daughter bonding for families separated by the carceral system.

“Fathers in the programme take part in therapy sessions before the final event: a daddy-daughter dance in which the men trade their state-issued clothing for semi-formal attire and reunite with their daughters for a sweet moment of familial closeness,” explains Netflix’s Tudum.

What are people saying about Daughters?

The compassionate documentary has already garnered rave reviews following its premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the audience award in documentary competition, and was named overall festival favourite.

“[This film] is about activism and awareness, so just don’t give us applause. If you saw Daughters then you know you must do something,” Patton said of the project, as per Variety.

“Please vote for change in our criminal justice system and understand that this system is impacting our families in a way that we can see it clearly through this film, and create the change that we know that our families need – and that we need – to really get to victory and to really be unified.”

No wonder it currently holds a 100% ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

When can we watch Daughters?

Daughters will be available to stream via Netflix on 14 August.

Images: Netflix