Have You Tried, Maybe, Not Worrying?

This 2016 short film follows a young woman (Florence Noble, from The Jaquie Brown Diaries) as she deals with debilitating panic attacks. On a road trip to a beach party, a friend (Jordan Vaha’akolo) sympathises with her struggles. Later he comes around for a cuppa to be there for her. Director Rachel Ross based the story on her personal experience of severe anxiety. "I was shocked to hear that people were struggling as severely as I was but kept it quiet. They were ashamed. It was this journey and realisation that catapulted the premise of this short film."

This raw story was born out of my own season of anxiety and panic disorder three years ago. I would wake in the night with panic attacks, unable to eat, unable to stomach anything when I tried, and became fearful of everything around me. I lost a large amount of weight — I thought there was a biological issue at play. I was completely unaware that I was, in fact, battling an anxiety disorder.

– Writer/director Rachel Ross

Key Cast & Crew

Florence Noble

As: Sage

Hamish Mortland

Producer

Rachel Ross

Writer, Director

Jordan Vaha'akolo

As: Hudson

Joel Mauri

As: Homeless Man

Alana Cotton

Colourist