Dear Daughter

The evolution of a mother's love through the years.

*A TOUCHING TRUE STORY*

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

Vanessa Neff is a first time filmmaker.

Dear Daughter is OPENING SELECTION and will World Premier at the 11th Raleigh Arts & Film Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States on October 6, 2023.

  • 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:
    6 minutes 54 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 14, 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
  • 11th Raleigh Arts & Film Festival
    Raleigh, North Carolina
    United States
    October 6, 2023
    World Premiere
    OPENING SELECTION
  • 5th Chicago FEEDBACK Film Festival
    Chicago, Illinois
    United States
    December 2, 2023
    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."