How does a 17 year old mother and leader of a girl gang survive in a region where violence and abuse has become the norm? In DAUGHTERS OF WAR, Peruvian director, Maria Barea, documents Gabriela’s life in Ayacucho, Peru, the former Maoist guerrilla stronghold ravaged by civil war in the 1980’s. This is the first episode in the documentary film series GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD exploring the lives of 17 year old girls on their journey to womanhood. As Gabriela’s story unfolds, we witness first hand the effects that war, drugs and poverty have had on this generation of youths in Peru and will have on generations to come.

Her mother mysteriously disappeared when Gabriela was five. She and her sister were passed on to their Grandmother who didn’t want them. Violence, neglect and abuse drove Gabriela to the streets where survival meant fighting with a knife and stealing. Her story is typical for the region where many children lost their parents to the civil war or the drug trade. Gabriela is leader of a gang of girls with similar histories. They have grown so used to violence and abuse that they no longer recognize when they are victims to it. Gabriela has a daughter. Named after Gabriela’s mother, Evila is the only person Gabriela trusts. What hope can Gabriela have for her future and for the future of her child?