rosie marden
freelance director and editor
2025–2026
log-line
After having her phone confiscated, teenage Nancy (14) reluctantly follows her younger sister Edie (10) for a day outdoors, rediscovering the magic of the mundane and challenging Nancy’s growing fear of the world.
Fourteen-year-old Nancy could think of nothing worse than missing out on the fleeting world flying through her phone, but when her mum confiscates it, she’s forced to spend the day outdoors with her imaginative ten-year-old sister, Edie. While Edie moves through the world with curiosity and ease, talking to locals, inventing games, and finding magic in ordinary moments, Nancy remains trapped in the self-consciousness and emotional weight of adolescence. Across one transformative day, Nancy is slowly drawn into her sister’s strange but sincere way of seeing the world, forcing her to confront how much of her own wonder she has already lost. 10 Before The World Hits is a gentle coming-of-age short drama about sisterhood, anxiety, simplicity, and the fleeting innocence before the weight of the world sets in.
Director & Editor Rosie Marden
rosie@studiomardo.com.au
rosiemardomedia
Crew
| Director | Rosie Marden |
| Producer | Isabella Hile |
| DOP | Oscar Armstrong |
| Editor | Rosie Marden |
| Editing Assist | Geon Go |
| Production Designer | Grace Murray |
| Composition/Sound Designer | Cameron Grivas |
| 1st AD | Cordelia Harris |
| 1st AC | Jojo Adrian |
| Adam Stavros | |
| 2nd AC/Grip | Adam Stavros |
| 2nd AC | Jojo Adrian |
| Victoria Zhu | |
| Camera Attachment | Rosie Jones |
| Gaffer | Luca McDonald |
| LX Assist | Lizzie Boxwell |
| Pat Lenzner | |
| Sound Recordist | Gabriel Ritter |
| Cameron Grivas | |
| Script Supervisor | Luke Abraham |
| Production Assistant | Sofia Barraket |
| BTS | Geon Go |
| Animations | Geon Go |
| Animations | Rosie Marden |
Cast
| Nancy | Tallulah Watson |
| Edie | Isla Watson |
| Mum | Bonnie-Jean Ashbolt |
| Old man | Jack Cheetham |
| Girl in tree | Ruby Menzies |
| Girl in tree | Audrey Williams |
| Dog | Tessa Cheetham |
10 Before The World Hits came from my own experience growing up alongside my younger sister, whose sense of wonder I secretly envied. While she moved through the world with curiosity and optimism, I often felt consumed by self-consciousness and the pressure of being “good enough.” Through Nancy and Edie’s relationship, I wanted to explore the moment in adolescence when we begin to lose our ability to fully see and appreciate the world around us.
I think this story feels especially relevant now, as so many people live overwhelmed by comparison, anxiety, and constant digital stimulation. Nancy’s attachment to her phone reflects a wider fear of disconnection, while Edie represents a quieter, more present way of experiencing the world.
From the beginning, I wanted the film to feel intimate, naturalistic, and grounded in memory. Working with children was essential to the authenticity of the story, and casting real sisters allowed their dynamic to feel instinctive and emotionally truthful. Many of the games, locations, and moments in the film are drawn directly from my own childhood, helping create a world that feels both ordinary and quietly magical.
At its core, 10 Before The World Hits is about presence. It’s about learning to slow down enough to notice the beauty that already exists around us. I hope audiences leave the film reflecting on how easily we can become consumed by noise, pressure, and distraction, and how much happiness we risk missing when we stop paying attention.
producer | isabella hileIsabella is an emerging filmmaker specialising in production and law. Isabella loves being part of the process that turns an idea into something real and impactful. Producing allows Isabella to combine her love for organisation, storytelling, and the structured problem-solving she’s developed through studying law.
production designer | grace murrayGrace Murray is a Production Designer from Sydney, Australia. With a passion for film and design, she loves to create authentic and lived in sets for characters to explore and grow. Grace enjoys crafting dreamlike feminine spaces with a contrasting gritty edge, ultimately cultivating worlds that feel both intimate and unsettling.
cinematographer | oscar armstrong
Oscar Armstrong is a Sydney-based Director & Cinematographer. He has worked across genres, from documentary to fiction, but his passion lies in creating compelling narrative work. Oscar approaches cinematography from a character first perspective and enjoys subtle camera work.
composer / sound designer | cameron grivas
Cam Grivas specialises in creating immersive audio experiences for film and media. Cam has a degree in Communications: Media Arts & Production from UTS and years of experience developing creative projects for a range of mediums.
Tallulah Watson
as Nancy
Tallulah (aged 15) is an Australian performer with a background in acting and competitive dance. She worked on Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and has since appeared in short films and continues training with the Young Actors Assembly. Tallulah is a competitive dancer in hip hop, jazz, musical theatre, and contemporary, and has intermediate French.
Isla Watson as Edie
Isla (aged 12) is an emerging Australian performer who has experience in singing, dancing and acting on set and on stage, especially when working with the Young Actor’s Assembly.