On the last weekend of August, it premieres in Australia, and on the first weekend of September, it premieres in Angola.

The film “First Date,” by Luís Filipe Borges, filmed entirely on the island of Pico, Azores, thus reaches two more continents, Oceania and Africa, after having already been shown at festivals in North America, South America, Asia, and Europe.

The Heathcote Film Festival is a festival dedicated to short films that takes place annually in Heathcote, in central Victoria, Australia. Since 2010, it has been screening international and Australian films, providing a forum for emerging filmmakers. “First Date” premieres in Heathcote, followed by Sydfest in Sydney and the NZ Indie Film Festival in New Zealand.

CineFest is an outdoor film festival held in the municipality of Viana, Luanda, Angola, from September 4 to 7. The event takes place in the Municipal Garden of Viana, attracting a considerable audience and reinforcing its role as a relevant cultural event in the locality. This will be the African premiere of Luís Filipe Borges’ first film, which returns to the big screen in Portugal on September 7 at the CINE TEJO short film festival in Benavente.

The CINE TEJO team and jury nominated “First Date” for five awards at the festival’s first edition. The nominations include production companies Advogado do Diabo and MiratecArts for Best Fiction Short Film, Luís Filipe Borges for Best Director and Best Screenplay, Cristóvão Campos for Best Actor, and Flávio Cristóvam for Best Soundtrack.

“First Date,” by Luís Filipe Borges, winner of the Curta Pico Award, from MiratecArts, in partnership with the municipalities of Lajes do Pico, Madalena, and São Roque do Pico, has already been officially selected for 30 festivals and received 10 awards.

According to Cinetendinha (SIC TV), “First Date is a short film that reimagines a Hollywood romantic comedy. It has its charm and is a love letter to Pico.” Italian critics noted that the cinematography “transforms Pico into a character in its own right—its volcanic majesty, rugged coastline, and atmospheric views provide a sumptuous backdrop for the film’s romantic involvement,” while critics from the United Kingdom focused on “the power of honest storytelling… a love story and a sincere exploration of human nature.”

To follow the film’s adventures around the world, join the official Facebook page: firstdateshortfilm2025.

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 Publications at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks the Luso-American Education Foundation for their support.