Daniel Bibby is a Brisbane-based writer and director who draws inspiration from his own life and love for movies. His films are infused with a unique sense of nostalgia that resonates with viewers, transporting them to another time and place.
As the founder of Tough Cheddar, a production company focused on telling unique Australian stories, Daniel has established himself as a filmmaker with a distinct voice and vision.
In the article below, Daniel writes about the making of his new short film, Half Past Midnight, which is set to screen at the Adelaide Independent Film Festival on Saturday, 3 October 2026. Details here.
Half Past Midnight is directed by Daniel Bibby, written by Bibby and Red Holden, produced by Bibby and Luisa Martiri, and stars Mitchell Bourke as Marcus and Miah Madden as Harper.
After a heated argument leaves Marcus uncertain about the future of his spiralling relationship, his feelings are put to the test when he meets a mysterious woman who understands his situation better than anyone.
Words by Daniel Bibby
The concept for Half Past Midnight was born back in early 2022. I had just left my job to help my mother care for my elderly grandparents. She was struggling and needed an extra pair of hands.
During the early hours of the morning, I began to envision how this new story would take shape. As I considered what emotions I wanted to tap into, I realised I had been here before. I decided to draw upon my experiences with loving, caring and leaving in my own life.
The story is based on a previous relationship of mine, one that had a lasting impact, shaping my early twenties.
My ex-partner and I were young and in love, both twenty-one, with dreams of traveling together to Australia. We met while I was on a working holiday in the UK, living in London.
All those plans were put aside when she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, a chronic, inflammatory bowel disease. This required two years of surgeries, including having a stoma bag for the majority of that time.
Despite these challenges, we were determined to get through and make our Australia trip a reality. We did eventually make the journey down under, only for us to break up a few months later. During all the ups and downs, we had grown apart, both desiring different things.
It was really important to me that this story had a strong female voice throughout the script; I didn’t want the film to come across as one-sided. That’s when I approached Red.
We sat down over a few wines, I shared all the real-life history, broke down the script I had written, and then completely handed it over to her to write it how she wished. We discussed the feel and tone. Big influences for us were films such as Before Sunrise by Richard Linklater, Blue Valentine by Derek Cianfrance, and more recently The Worst Person in the World by Joachim Trier, and Past Lives by Celine Song.
Our goal was to create a romantic drama that felt natural and real, while also giving a nod to some of cinema’s gems from the past.
I hope that some viewers can find solace in the familiarity of the story I have crafted, while others may be taken on a new and unfamiliar journey. Shedding light on what living with a chronic illness can be like in a relationship, the pressures, and the guilt both people may feel.
Half Past Midnight will screen at the Adelaide Independent Film Festival on Saturday, 3 October 2026. Details here.
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