THE RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS

(CCC, BBB) Strong Christian, biblical, Reformed worldview; no foul language; no violence; no sexual content; no nudity (footage of female college students is even blurred to obscure revealing clothing); no alcohol use; no smoking or drug use; and, nothing else objectionable.

THE RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS is a documentary that introduces viewers to young women who are dedicating their single years to serving their families and the Church while living in their parents’ homes. Appealing yet controversial, this manifesto of Christian daughterhood is beautifully produced and sure to provoke families into examining the scriptural and cultural foundations of their ambitions for their daughters.

THE RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS is a well-produced independent documentary taking viewers into the homes and minds of young single women who are part of the biblical patriarchy movement. Two sisters, Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin, introduce the young woman, and plead the case for a complete reshaping of how Christian women live their lives as singles.

Anna and Elizabeth’s vision of Biblical Christian daughterhood emerges through these interviews, a vision which is radically at odds with secular values. They emphasize the need for strong father-daughter relationships, joyful submission to parental authority, interdependent family relationships, parent-guided courtship and the home as the primary location of education, entrepreneurship, creativity and ministry.

On the whole, THE RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS is fast-paced, intriguing and visually pleasing. More of a manifesto than a documentary, it is structured around an excellent series of interviews with eloquent young women from a range of backgrounds and demographics. The only sequence that loses momentum is a courtship story midway in the film that relies too much on photographic stills.

Some viewers will be left with questions regarding the role of the mother/wife in this vision of family life, since so much discussion is devoted to the daughter’s role as a support to her father. It should be noted that a full understanding of what has become known as the Biblical Patriarchy Movement will not result from viewing this documentary.

Even so, however, the movie successfully issues a potent challenge to Christian daughters to “be not conformed to this world.” A glimpse into the lives of these vibrant young women who are dedicating their single years to serving their families and the Body of Christ is a much-needed antidote to the tawdry image of girlhood that is marketed to our daughters by the mass media.

The cinematography, production design, editing, and musical score in THE RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS are exceptional. Appealing and extremely controversial, this manifesto of Christian daughterhood is beautifully produced and sure to provoke families into examining the scriptural and cultural foundations of their ambitions for their daughters.

THE RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS is a documentary that takes viewers into the homes and minds of young single women who are part of the Biblical Patriarchy movement. Through these interviews, conducted by two sisters, a vision of Biblical Christian daughterhood emerges that is at odds with secular values. They emphasize the need for strong father-daughter relationships, joyful submission to parental authority, interdependent family relationships, parent-guided courtship and the home as the primary location of education, entrepreneurship, creativity, and ministry.

THE RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS is fast-paced, intriguing and visually pleasing. More of a manifesto than a documentary, it is structured around an excellent series of interviews with eloquent young women from a range of backgrounds and demographics. The cinematography, production design, editing, and musical score are exceptional. One slow-paced sequence mid-way detracts only minimally from the intriguing content and appealing presentation of the film. This appealing manifesto of Christian daughterhood is theologically substantial and sure to provoke families into examining the scriptural and cultural foundations of their ambitions for their precious daughters. It is a much-needed antidote to the tawdry image of girlhood marketed to our daughters by the mass media.