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After losing her brother in a drunk-driving accident, Philli finds an unexpected way to process her grief: taxidermy. Salvaging animals killed on the roads, she carefully reconstructs their bodies, transforming the remains of creatures that would otherwise be forgotten into intricate works of art.
Her mother, Caro, responds to the same devastating loss in a very different way. As a road-safety activist and founder of South Africans Against Drunk Driving, she takes her grief into the public sphere, determined to prevent other families from experiencing the pain she knows so intimately.
Through these two women, Dears in the Headlights explores the many ways we confront loss — privately and publicly, through art and activism, mourning and action. A poignant and visually striking portrait of grief, love and resilience, the film asks whether something beautiful can emerge from the most painful of experiences.
Awards:
- Winner — Audience Award for Documentary Short, Berkshire International Film Festival 2025
After losing her brother in a drunk-driving accident, Philli finds an unexpected way to process her grief: taxidermy. Salvaging animals killed on the roads, she carefully reconstructs their bodies, transforming the remains of creatures that would otherwise be forgotten into intricate works of art.
Her mother, Caro, responds to the same devastating loss in a very different way. As a road-safety activist and founder of South Africans Against Drunk Driving, she takes her grief into the public sphere, determined to prevent other families from experiencing the pain she knows so intimately.
Through these two women, Dears in the Headlights explores the many ways we confront loss — privately and publicly, through art and activism, mourning and action. A poignant and visually striking portrait of grief, love and resilience, the film asks whether something beautiful can emerge from the most painful of experiences.
Awards:
- Winner — Audience Award for Documentary Short, Berkshire International Film Festival 2025