The short film First Date, directed by Azorean writer and filmmaker Luís Filipe Borges, has received international recognition once again, earning the Silver Award in the Travel and Tourism category at the 8th edition of the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA), held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The award recognizes audiovisual productions that successfully encourage travel and tourism while showcasing destinations through innovative storytelling. In the case of First Date, the film promotes the Azores—and particularly Pico Island—through a fictional narrative that combines romance, humor, and the striking beauty of one of the archipelago’s most distinctive landscapes.

“I have always been a passionate admirer of romantic comedies,” Borges said. “I wanted my directorial debut to honor that genre, entertain as many people as possible, celebrate the extraordinary island of Pico, and play with some of the familiar clichés that audiences associate with romantic storytelling.”

Conceived and filmed entirely on Pico Island, First Date has enjoyed an impressive international journey since its premiere. The production has been screened on more than 60 cinema screens across 19 countries and, with this latest recognition in South Africa, has now accumulated 23 awards from film festivals around the world.

For producer Terry Costa of MiratecArts, the award is further evidence of the value of investing in audiovisual projects as tools for regional development.

“This award once again demonstrates that investment in film and audiovisual production is also an investment in local economic development,” Costa said. “It creates a powerful and engaging way to promote a destination while sharing its stories with international audiences.”

The film originated as the winning project of the inaugural Curta Pico Prize, an initiative created by MiratecArts with the support of the municipalities of Lajes do Pico, Madalena, and São Roque do Pico, as well as the Azores Regional Directorate for Tourism and private sponsors.

Produced in 2024, First Date premiered at the Montanha Pico Festival in January 2025 before embarking on an extensive international festival circuit. The film later received a television premiere through a special edition of CineMax and became available on the streaming platform FILMIN in May 2026, allowing wider audiences to discover both the story and the island that inspired it.

Meanwhile, applications for the second edition of the Curta Pico Prize remain open through July 1, continuing MiratecArts’ commitment to supporting new cinematic projects inspired by Pico Island and the Azores.

The International Tourism Film Festival Africa is one of the leading events dedicated to tourism-related audiovisual productions. Each year, it celebrates and promotes outstanding films, documentaries, and promotional works from around the world that highlight destinations, tourism products, and travel experiences through creative and innovative storytelling.

For First Date, the latest award represents not only another international accolade but also a testament to the growing role of Azorean cinema in introducing global audiences to the islands’ landscapes, culture, and unique sense of place.

Translated and adapted from a MiratecArts Press Release. Photos from the same source.