I had the opportunity to join the team at Lobby as the scriptwriter for another great film with the creative direction and directed by Telmo Martins. The film ‘The island’ takes us through the magical Azores archipelago, showcasing the outstanding hospitality of Bensaude Hotels.
Awards
Creative Concept
Inspired by John Donne’s “No man is an Island”, this film explores the quintessential Azorean hospitality that defines the Bensaude Hotels Collection. The story follows a man, our protagonist, instinctively carried on a journey across the islands—and through the group’s hotels—chasing the presence of something that both haunts and draws him, like an old passion, in an attempt to reclaim what he thought was lost and calm the restlessness within him.
On each island, as he wanders through the most powerful and unique natural landscapes, extraordinary experiences, and encounters with the genuine warmth of the locals, he repeatedly crosses paths with an elusive female presence—presumed to be the focus of his quest.
The narrative unfolds as an emotional journey, moving from moments of intense anxiety to the soothing of his spirit through the experiences he encounters. Alongside this deep connection to the values of human interaction with nature, the female presence gradually grows nearer, more elusive and compelling, until, ultimately, they become one.
Voiceover
Feeling that presence—so real, so intense—I realized I would find no rest until I found her.
Arriving at a place like this, where the boundaries between inside and outside dissolve, makes us more complete.
More open to welcoming a smile. No barriers. No horizon limits.
The mysterious presence stirred my curiosity. Every sense was alert.
But what surrounds us can also deceive us.
And at every step, it surprises us with a new definition of what it means to be extraordinary.
The torrent of stimuli that hits us is unending.
It is impossible to calm the emotions. Or even close our eyes. She does not allow it.
Days like these leave marks. They leave longing. They let the night arrive to carry away the exhaustion of excitement.
With each new day, the challenges renew themselves. The island tests our determination.
When the heart quiets, we find our point of escape.
Here, the weight of things is zero. Everything is light and intense.
Everything leads us to forget who we were—and discover who we have become.
We are not alone. We are not isolated. The land’s borders dissolve into the vast sea.
We are never alone.
The anxiety of being far from home disappears when we realize that we are home.
When we are shown the way.
And when the lights go out, we open our eyes in astonishment. The island pulses stronger within.
We cross worlds through incredible cosmic portals.
Everything is greater than us. Everything makes us want to be giants.
But every detail draws us closer and makes us reflect.
To leave our mark, we only need to enter into communion with all that surrounds us.
This is not a dream… it is awakening with soul.
It is her. It is each island. It is the energy that makes us reborn.
Surrounded by life on every side.
An island is not surrounded by water—it plunges into it.
We are all an island.
All connected.
Bensaude Hotels Collection
Azorean Hospitality