Experiencing Interruptions?

Dear Daughter

A mother's tribute to her daughter, and a reflection on how the love for her evolved throughout the years.

*A TOUCHING TRUE STORY*

Watch 6 minutes of AMAZING AUDIENCE REVIEWS at https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/dear-daughter-review, published by Wildsound Festival TV after "Dear Daughter" won BEST SHORT FILM at the Chicago Feedback Film Festival.

Dear Daughter is co-directed by Vanessa Neff and Rob Underhill.

Vanessa Neff is a first time filmmaker.

AWARDS:
OPENING SELECTION, 11th Raleigh Film & Art Fest
BEST NC FILM, 11th Raleigh Film & Art Fest
BEST FAMILY FILM, 13th Short. Sweet. Film Fest
BEST SHORT, 5th Chicago Feedback Film Festival
BEST DRAMA, Fuquay Film Festival
BEST DRAMA, Foothills Film Festival
BEST FILM, Martini Shot Film Series
BEST MOTHER/DAUGHTER FILM, Family Film Fest
BEST WOMEN'S ISSUE SHORT, Arthouse Festival of Beverly Hills
BEST SHORT FILM ABOUT WOMEN, Paris Women Festival
DISTINCTIVE DIRECTOR, Mightier Than The Sword Film Fest
MIGHTY VOICE, Mightier Than The Sword Film Fest
SCREENWRITING HEART AWARD, Micropolitan Film Fest
BEST FAMILY FILM, 10th Down East Flick Fest
BEST FILM 2nd Place, The Argyle Film Festival

What viewers are saying...

"I cried all the way through. A beautiful story and beautifully done in every way"
-Diane Mason, Artistic director, YES Film Festival

"Absolutely heartwarming in every sense."
"The whole piece filled with such love."
"A beautiful representation of a mother, daughter relationship... and generations of women supporting each other."

  • Rob Underhill
    Director
  • Vanessa Neff
    Director
  • Vanessa Neff
    Writer
  • Rob Underhill
    Producer
  • Vanessa Neff
    Producer
  • Vanessa Neff
    Key Cast
    "Mother"
  • Carson Castillo
    Key Cast
    "Daughter"
  • Christian Melvin
    Key Cast
    "Baby"
  • Michael Gaffney
    Music
  • Rob Underhill
    Editor
  • Rob Underhill
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • 11th Raleigh Film & Art Festival
    Raleigh, North Carolina
    United States
    October 6, 2023
    World Premiere
    OPENING SELECTION & BEST NORTH CAROLINA FILM
  • 12th Short. Sweet. Film Fest.
    Cleveland, Ohio
    United States
    February 28, 2024
    OUTSTANDING FAMILY FILM
  • Foothills Film Festival

    United States
    September 7, 2024
    BEST DRAMA
  • 25th Real to Reel International Film Festival
    Kings Mountain, North Carolina
    United States
    July 24, 2024
    OPENING FILM
  • 5th Chicago FEEDBACK Film Festival
    Chicago, Illinois
    United States
    December 2, 2023
    BEST SHORT FILM
  • 13th Short. Sweet. Film Fest.
    Cleveland, Ohio
    United States
    March 29, 2024
    BEST FAMILY FILM
  • Fuquay Film Festival
    Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina
    United States
    November 2, 2024
    BEST DRAMA
  • Martini Shot Film Series
    Carrboro, North Carolina
    United States Minor Outlying Islands
    January 27, 2024
    BEST FILM
  • Family Film Festival
    Provo, Utah
    United States
    April 4, 2024
    BEST MOTHER/DAUGHTER FILM
  • Arthouse Festival of Beverly Hills
    Beverly Hills, California
    United States
    January 10, 2025
    BEST WOMEN'S ISSUE SHORT
  • Mightier Than The Sword Film Festival
    Asheboro, North Carolina
    United States
    January 9, 2025
    DISTINCTIVE DIRECTOR & MIGHTY VOICE
  • Paris Women Festival
    Paris
    France
    October 30, 2024
    BEST SHORT FILM ABOUT WOMEN
  • Teleos Film Festival
    Raleigh, North Carolina
    United States
    February 7, 2026
    BEST FAMILY SHORT
  • Micropolitan Film Festival
    Marion, NC
    United States
    August 3, 2024
    SCREENWRITING HEART AWARD
  • 10th Down East Flick Fest
    Greensboro
    United States
    BEST FAMILY FILM
  • The Argyle Film Festival
    Chapel Hill, North Carolina
    United States
    January 31, 2025
    BEST FILM 2nd Place
  • 14th Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
    Dubuque, Iowa
    United States
    April 25, 2025
    Official Selection
  • 6th North Carolina Film Festival
    New Bern, North Carolina
    United States
    August 3, 2024
    Official Selection
  • 10th Tryon International Film Festival
    Tryon, North Carolina
    United States
    October 12, 2024
    Official Selection
  • 10th Longleaf Film Festival
    Raleigh, North Carolina
    United States
    May 11, 2024
    Official Selection
  • 8th Indigo Moon Film Fest
    Fayetteville, North Carolina
    United States
    October 12, 2024
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Rob Underhill, Vanessa Neff

DEAR DAUGHTER is co-Directed by Rob Underhill and Vanessa Neff.

VANESSA NEFF jumped into the creative arts in 2019 after a diverse career in real estate and the corporate world. Wanting more from life than the everyday, she signed with a talent agency, began acting classes and has not looked back.
Vanessa has appeared in numerous feature films, television commercials, industrials and advertisements on all platforms. She has written, directed and starred in short films and continues to book roles regularly.
Vanessa is associated with Back-to-One Studios in Raleigh, NC as an instructor for the New Actors Workshops, which introduces individuals on how to begin their acting career in television, movies and commercials.
Vanessa is also a fashion model for designer boutiques, bespoke clothing creators and personal stylists. She believes in representing the mature woman in a way that shows although the hair may be silver, there is still a fire glowing deep within.

ROB UNDERHILL is a film & media director, producer, cinematographer, editor, writer. His feature films & more than 50 short-films have received over 150 awards, showcased at hundreds of screening engagements worldwide, including CANNES & Academy-qualifying film festivals like ST. LOUIS & SEATTLE.
Rob’s work has received rave reviews from top film critics, earned endorsements from major public figures like UN Ambassador Andrew Young & former NC Governor Beverly Perdue, & has been featured on the NPR programs, THE STATE OF THINGS with Frank Stasio & THE STORY with Dick Gordon.
Rob earned a BA in English from NCSU & was honored to accept the invitation to serve as featured speaker at the 2015 NCSU English department graduation commencement.
His work has aired on the ASPiRE network, ShortsHD, & other national & international outlets. Carolina STYLE Magazine recognized Rob as one of 25 "Most Stylish People" influencing positive change in the Carolinas. He is a RAWards Indie Art Award recipient for Best Regional Filmmaker. In 2022, he received the QUSAR award for lifetime achievement in filmmaking by the 10th Raleigh Film and Art Festival.
More at www.RobUnderhill.com

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Co-director, writer, star of "Dear Daughter" says,

"The concept for this film occurred during a session with a creative film group in which I was the eldest (by far) and we were discussing family as a film topic. As I looked around the group assembled there, it struck me how the relationships between elders and youth, children and parents, morph as we navigate through life. Even after death, the love you have for a family member that has passed can change as you discover and come to understand how they might have viewed the world."

"My daughter had recently shared some life altering news with me and it just became so clear that there are many, varied levels and forms of love we can have for one another. That it is not simply a single, constant, static feeling. There are glorious times and there are depths we can't comprehend. In the end, we can only be grateful for the loved ones that come into our lives and allow us to experience it at all."