Hidden Daughters, The

Director: Mette Korsgaard
Producer: Steen Jensen
Produced by: DR
Duration: 58 min.
Year of Production: 2004
Original Title: De Skulte Døtre

Winner of:  Jury of Young Europeans prize 2005, Biarritz

Thousands of European-born daughters of immigrants are sent back to the native land of their parents to be “re-educated” in the cultural norms and traditions of those countries. For some, these generational conflicts turn into regular culture wars within the family and the daughters may even disappear for several years or forever.

Attempting to shed light on the girls’ destinies, The Hidden Daughters travels to Pakistan in search of one girl who suddenly disappeared. Friends and elementary school teachers in the girl’s adopted country in Europe are worried. She thought she was going on holiday, but nobody has heard from her in a year.

According to Khalida Salimi, director of the human rights organisation, Struggle for Changes, there is good reason to be worried. In Pakistan many women are locked away, forced into marriage, and suffer from oppression, physical and psychological abuse. She explains that women and children have few rights in Pakistani society, and marriages out of love are not allowed.