New York Film Academy 1-Year Documentary Filmmaking Program alumnus and former Teacher’s Assistant Todd Leatherman served as camera operator on the Netflix Original Series “Daughters of Destiny,” which premiered worldwide on July 28, dropping simultaneously in over 100 countries and in 30 languages. Leatherman was shooting for Oscar-winning documentary film director, Vanessa Roth, who also happened to be his instructor at the New York Film Academy.
“Daughters of Destiny” is an original documentary series that sheds a light on the systemic educational failures and human rights issues facing India’s lowest social caste: the Dalit (Untouchables). The documentary follows a group of children over the course of seven years whose families, unlike many of their peers, have found a pathway to access education through the remarkable Shanti Bhavan school in Bangalore.
The documentary offers an unbiased peek into the lives of the Dalit girls throughout their years of study at the Shanti Bhavan school, with an impartial eye on both the triumphs and difficulties. The school encourages its students to choose to study and pursue careers that will be of service and help lift their communities out of poverty — perhaps even at the sacrifice of their dreams.
As Decider’s Radhika Menon observes, the film is “not so much an investigation into the caste system as it is a showcase for the idea that systemic inequalities can be overturned when paired with opportunity.”
“Daughters of Destiny” is now available to stream on Netflix.