The Short film that didn’t quit!
Written and directed by emerging filmmaker and actor Finn Middleton, Acid Amorè is a short comedy that explores the anxieties of love, after a boy receives a potential break-up text minutes before a psychedelic tab kicks in. (The film stars Finn Middleton, Ryan Scott, Ethan Lamb Kelly, Haris Mirza, Cenk Orhan and Rhys Sherlock)
In true indie fashion, Acid Amorè was conceived late at night in a small Oporto alongside my mate Ryan Scott. The idea came out of a simple goal — make something for Tropfest.
I polished the script and sent it to my best friend Ethan Lamb-Kelly. He replied back, “This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read. I’m in.” And just like that, we were off.
And like 90% of Tropfest submissions, we didn’t get in…
But over the two days of shooting — seeing how much fun we were having, and how much love was being poured into this silly little film — I knew I couldn’t just let it sit there. It had to go somewhere. Anywhere.
I know so many filmmakers who make brilliant short films, only to let them sit on a hard drive collecting dust because they got a “no” or because the film isn’t perfect.
But I think that’s missing the point.
Filmmaking — storytelling in any form — is born out of imperfection and rejection. And that’s exactly what this film is. It’s imperfect. It’s a little messy. Maybe even a bit too silly. But the joy we found in making it was enough of a spark to keep pushing forward.
And now, after that initial “no,” came some of the most exciting “yeses” with Acid Amorè now having its Australian premiere at the Gold Coast Film Festival as part of SIPFEST.
At its core, this film is a love letter to making things with your friends — to backing an idea, no matter how ridiculous it seems, and seeing it through.
Acid Amorè is produced by LadyBug Studios and Limitless Studios. Cinematography by Mark Robinson. Production design by Isabel Chau. Lighting design by Fu Liu. Makeup by Annie Stokes. Sound by Dimitri Gerakios. Edited by Jacob Farmer. Original score by Marcus Galic.
Finn Middleton is an Australian filmmaker and actor based in Sydney. Raised on the Central Coast, he moved to Sydney at 18 to study Acting at AFTT, graduating with a Bachelor of Creative Arts. Working across directing, writing, producing and acting.His work is character-driven and visually bold, often exploring heightened worlds grounded in emotional truth. Since graduating, Finn has worked on multiple screen projects, including two back-to-back feature films, and continues to develop independent short films with a focus on genre, atmosphere and emerging Australian voices.