The First Emotion: when cinema becomes a tool for hotel positioning

Can a film change the perception of a hotel?

At Permanent State of Creation, we know it can. And that conviction was the foundation of The First Emotion, the cinematic campaign developed for Forte de Gaia, Autograph Collection by Marriott, in Porto (Portugal).

The transition from The Lodge to Forte de Gaia represented far more than a name change. The hotel needed to evolve into a new international positioning aligned with the codes of uniqueness, character, and authenticity characteristic of Autograph Collection, a global portfolio of independent hotels carefully designed to leave a lasting impression. However, from the outset we understood that this process could not be achieved solely through a new visual identity or content update.

A new imaginary had to be built

Far from the conventional approach to hotel audiovisual production—focused on showcasing rooms, restaurants, or facilities—we chose to explore one of the most emotional territories of travel: the experience of first time.

We all remember the exact moment we arrived in an unknown city and felt it would stay with us forever. The first view of an extraordinary landscape, the emotion of opening the windows of a room and discovering an unexpected horizon, or the indescribable feeling of encountering something profoundly inspiring are among the most powerful memories associated with travel.

There is an almost Stendhalian dimension in these first encounters with a destination; an irretrievable emotion that, precisely because of its ephemerality, remains forever in memory.

From this idea, The First Emotion was born

The film follows a male character staying in one of the hotel’s most exclusive suites. The story begins the moment he opens the windows of his room and watches the city of Porto unfold before him from Forte de Gaia. That inaugural moment not only marks the beginning of his stay, but also the start of a creative process.

Contemporary luxury increasingly lies in the ability to generate emotions that stay with us long after the journey ends.

The city, the landscape, and the hotel itself become catalysts of inspiration for his next novel.

However, inspiration does not arise solely from contemplation. It arises from experience.

Throughout the film, the character explores the city, walks along the ocean, sails the Douro River on a small traditional boat, discovers Porto’s cultural richness, and finds in the hotel a refuge from which to observe, write, and create. The stay ceases to be mere accommodation and becomes a profoundly transformative experience.

At Permanent State of Creation, we conceive each sequence through art direction, photography, and narrative construction with the aim of placing the viewer inside the emotional universe of the character. Architecture, landscape, gastronomy, service, and destination are not presented as separate elements, but as part of a single narrative.

Because contemporary luxury no longer resides exclusively in access or exceptional facilities. It increasingly resides in the ability to generate memorable experiences and emotions that remain long after the journey.

The First Emotion was not conceived as a hotel video. It was designed as a narrative platform intended to position the hotel through emotion, culture, and desire.

At Permanent State of Creation, we understand hospitality cinema as a strategic positioning tool. It is not only about showing spaces, but about constructing stories capable of transforming how a place is perceived, desired, and remembered.