Some bonds are meant to break
Directed by Joseph Avery Dado
Release Date: December 25, 2025
Starring: Vitor Avolio Quattrocchi, Margarita Papoutsis
Synopsis: A man spirals into obsession with a girl, blurring the line between love and delusion as his desire consumes him.
Director’s Statement
After taking a long pause from making short films, I felt ready to return to filmmaking but struggled to find the right idea. Near the end of summer, I watched a romantic comedy that sparked the desire to create a romance film, though my initial instinct was to approach it experimentally. From there, the themes of isolation and the longing to be loved began to take shape in my mind.
The title Chemical Acquaintance emerged during this process. I wanted to explore the idea of being consumed by love, how it can feel intoxicating and almost poisonous, and the notion of the “acquaintance” as both partner and object of desire. As the story developed, I leaned into a near-fantastical approach, giving the narrative a delusional, dreamlike quality to reflect the characters’ inner obsessions.
The film questions what is real and what is imagined through the character of Ellie, played by Margarita. Her scenes are fleeting and carefully composed to create uncertainty about her existence, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. Through the first two loops with her, we explore Anthony’s, played by Vitor, loneliness, routines, and desperate pursuit of love and desire. My intention was to craft a dizzying, immersive experience that allows viewers to feel the unsettling tension of obsession and desire firsthand.
Ultimately, Chemical Acquaintance is a reflection on love as both intoxicating and destructive, a cinematic exploration of longing, fantasy, and the human need for connection.
Production
After a prolonged hiatus from filmmaking, Joseph Dado returned to production with a new short film inspired by the theme of obsessive love, an idea that emerged after viewing a romance feature. He developed the screenplay in collaboration with Aguli Morta, who had previously served as the graphic designer for A Deceptive Dinner.
Principal photography commenced on October 18, 2025, and was completed within a single night of filming. The post-production process extended over two months, involving extensive trial-and-error editing before achieving the final cut.
The film also marked a milestone for Dado Productions, as Nicolas Urrea composed an original musical score, its first fully original soundtrack. The completed version of the film was ultimately finalized just days prior to its official release date.
Release Date
The film’s release date was determined through an audience engagement poll conducted by Joseph Dado on Instagram. Followers were given three options: November 28, 2025; December 19, 2025; or December 25, 2025. After voting concluded, Christmas Day was ultimately selected as the official release date.
