"Daddy Don't Go" Documentary Looks At Disadvantaged Fathers Fighting To Be There For Their Kids

"What these men all have in common is they’ve realized the most revolutionary and powerful thing they can do in their own lives is take care of their children."

An award-winning filmmaker whose films have appeared on PBS, Showtime and at the Sundance Film Festival is tackling a new project — a look at fathers struggling against poverty and their past to reach their potential as dads.

"I'm basically a public servant in filmmaker clothing,” co-director Emily Abt told BuzzFeed of how her career as a caseworker led her to films, including her latest, Daddy Don't Go.

Abt, right, and her co-director, Andrew Osborne, left, say the film captures a year in the lives of four young men in New York City. The filmmakers didn't want to shy away from the imperfections of their subjects.

The documentary began filming in January and still needs about six more months to finish production, Abt said. But with the filmmakers going through their savings, they've decided to turn to Kickstarter, to raise $80,000 and finish the project.

The dads include Nelson, 26, (below) a member of the Latin Kings gang, trying to stay away from trouble. He's a full-time father to his toddler son and two girls from his partner’s previous relationships.

"What these men all have in common is they’ve realized the most revolutionary and powerful thing they can do in their own lives is take care of their children," Abt said.

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