A person shaped hole you cannot dismiss, an elephant lurks in this hollow abyss. We all know it’s there and yet we presume, not to mention the elephant stuck in the room.

Taboos and awkwardness around talking about death and dying can prevent people from being supportive to grieving friends and family. Sadly, this reluctance to mention the ‘elephant in the room’ can result in bereaved people feeling lonely and isolated. 

This animated short film has been created to help support bereaved young people after someone important to them has died. Whether you’re grieving yourself or being supportive to someone you know, we hope this short animated film will help raise awareness of the difficulties of living with grief and encourage greater compassion and understanding.

Please visit our page: How we can support you for more on our services, you can also call our Helpline on 0800 02 888 40, email [email protected], or use Live Chat on our website.

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With thanks to the family and friends of Amara Sharma (7 October 2018 – 16 December 2019) for contributing to this film in her memory. 

 'Room for an elephant' was awarded a Special Mention in the Mental Health category of the Big Syn International Film Festival 2025 and was chosen as a finalist at the 2025 Piccadilly Lights Spotlight Prize. It is also a finalist in the Charity Film Awards 2026.