The festival journey of Luís Filipe Borges’ first film continues worldwide. “First Date”, filmed on the island of Pico, Azores, arrives on the other side of the world, the Philippines, and has received four nominations at the SEAiff, South East Academy International Film Festival.

With images going around the mountainous island, from the airport to the Barca area in Madalena, the Penedo Negro Garden in Lajes do Pico to the Magma Restaurant in Santo Amaro, the three municipalities of the island are well highlighted with images that have already been mentioned in international critics.

Critic RFA, from Italy, mentioned, “Diogo Rola’s lens transforms Pico into a character of its own – its volcanic majesty, rugged coastline and atmospheric views provide a sumptuous backdrop for the film’s romantic involvement. The interplay between natural light and composite framing elevates the film beyond its comic premise, imbuing it with a cinematic grandeur.”

The festival in the Philippines, SEAiff, once again highlighted Diogo Rola’s cinematography and image direction with a nomination for the “Best Cinematography” award. The team and jury of the festival in the Mayon Valley, a volcano a little higher than the Pico mountain, also nominated director Luís Filipe Borges, the production, and the film for “Best Short Narrative”.

“First Date” continues to tour the world, taking Pico and the work of a talented team, led by the production companies Advogado do Diabo and MiratecArts, to new audiences. Join us on Facebook: First Date – short film to follow the journey.

From MiratecArts Press Release

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks the Luso-American Education Foundation for their support.