There are wounds many women carry quietly—wounds formed long before they ever had the words to name them. For some, it was a father who wasn’t there. For others, a father who was present but painful.
Those early experiences often shape how women see themselves… and even how they view God.
But a new documentary is helping women discover that their story doesn’t end there.
“He Calls Me Daughter,” directed by filmmaker Rick Altizer and featuring voices including Alex Kendrick, Rochelle Starr and Priscilla R., is more than a film — it’s a reminder that no matter what someone’s earthly story looks like, there is a perfect Heavenly Father who offers healing, restoration and identity.
The documentary will be released in theaters nationwide March 17–18, 2026, through Fathom Entertainment, a global distributor that brings special film events to theaters around the world.
And at its heart, this story is a God Story — one about identity, healing and the life-changing love of Christ.
Hear the complete conversation between Crystal Thornton and the "He Calls Me Daughter" team in the podcast below
A God-Led Calling
Rick Altizer says the idea for the film wasn’t something he simply brainstormed — it felt like a clear calling from God.
While directing the documentary "Show Me the Father" with the Kendrick Brothers, he began sensing that another story needed to be told, specifically for women.
“God just kind of got my attention one night… I feel like God, the Spirit just called me to do this.”
That calling became a three-year journey to explore something many women quietly wrestle with: how painful relationships with earthly fathers can influence how they see God.
“When you have a broken relationship with an earthly father… it can interact with the way we relate to a heavenly Father.”
“The role of a father is one that cannot be overstated,” Altizer said. “Strong families are the foundation of a healthy society and fathers play the most vital role in this family structure.”
The Woman This Film Was Made For
Altizer says he had one woman in mind while making the documentary.
She’s the woman who serves faithfully in church but still feels spiritually distant.
“I made this for a Christian woman who goes to church. She’s on the worship team. She’s handing out bulletins at church… and there’s something she’s feeling disconnected with God and she just can’t quite put her finger on it.”
She’s done everything she knows to do — read the books, attend the conferences — but something still feels missing.
“She sees these other women have these close relationships with God and she doesn’t have it.”
Altizer says the film helps that woman recognize something important.
“When she sees this film… her life is going to change because she’s going to recognize, ‘I am a functional orphan.’”
And from there, healing can begin.
Because the truth is this: our identity is not determined by an earthly father’s failures, but by a Heavenly Father’s love.
Understanding the “Father Wound”
Experts featured in the film say many women experience what is often called a “father wound.”
“Many women who have a father wound in their heart don’t necessarily know it,” said Dr. Meg Meeker, author of the bestselling book "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters."
“They know that something deep hurts, but they don’t know what it is.”
When affirmation from a father is missing, Meeker says many daughters grow up believing something about them is unworthy of love.
The film explores how those wounds can affect relationships, trust and even a woman’s ability to understand God’s unconditional love.
Seeing God for Who He Really Is
Actor and filmmaker Alex Kendrick says one of the most powerful moments for many viewers will be realizing they’ve unintentionally projected their earthly father’s imperfections onto God.
“I realized… I’m viewing my dad and attributing those attributes to God when God is perfect and holy.”
Recognizing that difference transformed his own faith.
“This is a human… a dad with flaws and hurts of his own. That does not reflect the perfect God who created me.”
Once that distinction becomes clear, Kendrick says the relationship with God changes.
“My relationship with God is steadfast and anchored in Christ, not on my earthly father’s performance.”
Giving Words to Pain
For Rochelle Starr, who works closely with women who have experienced trauma, the film does something powerful: it gives language to pain many women have never been able to articulate.
“This will help put words to pain that women have not been able to put into words.”
And once those wounds are named, hope can begin.
“Even though no earthly father is perfect, God… is a wonderful, loving Father.”
A Life Transformed
One of the most moving parts of the documentary comes from Priscilla, who courageously shares her personal story of transformation.
She says understanding God’s love completely changed her life.
“My life today looks 100% different from what it did when I was lost. God keeps his promises and God promises goodness for our lives.”
Her testimony is a reminder that no matter how broken someone’s past may be, God’s love can rewrite the future.
Remembering Who You Are
Altizer hopes viewers leave the theater remembering one powerful truth.
“My identity is not found in what I do, but it’s found in what God did.”
That identity, he says, comes from God alone.
“My identity is daughter… He calls me daughter.”
Comedian Chonda Pierce, who also appears in the film, sums up that message simply:
“God is my Father, I am loved and He calls me daughter. A heavenly Father changes everything.”
Resources for Healing
The film also points viewers toward practical next steps. Before the credits roll, audiences are invited to explore a free curriculum and counseling resources through Global Counseling Network to continue their healing journey.
When and Where to Watch
“He Calls Me Daughter” will be in theaters nationwide March 17 and 18.
To hear more and find movie showtimes and tickets, visit
hecallsmedaughter.org.
Because sometimes the most powerful healing begins with a simple truth:
You are loved.
You are seen.
And God calls you daughter.