‘Hotel Amor’ is a new venture in Portuguese cinema set to premiere on June 19. Directed by Hermano Moreira, the film takes place in Hotel Roma, Lisbon, with Jessica Athayde starring as Catarina, the hotel manager.
This feature was shot in a continuous sequence while the hotel remained operational, leading to various incidents, as shared by Hermano Moreira in an interview with Notícias ao Minuto.
Living in Portugal for several years, the Brazilian director highlighted the talented professionals he’s encountered, emphasizing the “privilege of working with so many good actors.”
Hermano Moreira also called for support for Portuguese cinema, stressing that it “deserves and should have a larger audience,” and hopes that ‘Hotel Amor’ “will pique everyone’s curiosity.”
This is a comedy film with elements of romance and a hint of undercover drama (with the protagonist’s past). Ultimately, it conveys a lesson on living life to the fullest and finding happiness. How did the idea of combining all these elements in a feature film come about? What was the process leading to the film’s creation?
Your observation is quite accurate; the film encompasses all these nuances. It started when I invited Bruno Bloch to develop the script. I told him I wanted to make a film in sequence, entirely set in a hotel, featuring a female protagonist and addressing the ‘workaholic’ theme. Today, being a ‘workaholic’ is seen differently in Europe compared to Brazil and the USA, where it is considered ‘cool.’ I believe being a ‘workaholic’ is a flaw, not a virtue, but that’s my perspective. We built on that premise, featuring a woman in her 40s who sacrificed her personal life for her career. We gradually built Catarina’s life story and characters to convey this message.
First, we have the new hotel administrator, Telma (played by Vera Moura), illustrating Catarina’s insecurity in her job. Through Orlanda, played by Cléo Malulo, we see that Catarina lacks a social life. Francisco Frois, playing Luís, reveals that Catarina indeed had a life before… These layers are revealed during Catarina’s working hours, with characters intersecting her life and sharing her story and loss.
I experienced a personal tragedy when my brother lost his six-year-old son, and it profoundly affected me. I tried to incorporate this personal experience into the film in a light-hearted way. As you said, it’s a bit of drama, but a comedy that’s subtle, a relatable humor that resonates with audiences familiar with similar hotel experiences. This style of humor is something I enjoy creating and watching.
When the elevator door opened, a drunk guest began laughing and shouting ‘action’. It didn’t ruin anything, but it was a scare
Was the decision to film the movie in a continuous sequence made to directly convey the character’s exhaustion and chaos?
Exactly. I’ve always been a fan of continuous sequence because it brings you closer to reality. In life, as with the sequence, you make choices—turning right means missing what’s on the left, but that’s life. The screenwriter had to write according to the hotel’s geography.
Given that the hotel was operational during shooting, adding a challenge to this filming style, was there any amusing incident during the production?
There were a few [laughs]. One occurred in the elevator during a scene cut, right when the elevator doors opened. A drunk guest began laughing and shouting ‘action’ at three in the morning. I feared it would spoil the scene, but upon review, he appeared right after the cut, so it didn’t interfere. But it was a scare. And there were several occasions when guests looked at the camera, prompting us to cut the scene.
I’ve made great friends and professionals here over time, and it’s a privilege to work with so many talented actors
Why choose Portugal for filming?
I live here; I’ve been in Portugal for over eight years. I have two daughters here, and my wife lives here too… There’s no reason not to film here. I’m fortunate to work in Portugal with outstanding teams, great friends, and professionals I’ve met along the way. The actors too; it’s a privilege to work with so many talented actors.
Even for cinema, the big challenge is to make young people put down their phones and do something else
There are many young actors in the cast. Was this choice made for a specific reason?
The staff working in a place like ‘Hotel Amor,’ which has its team issues… ‘Hotel Amor’ employs inexperienced workers, so I thought it would be interesting to have young people working to highlight these conflicts and understand the new generation. We have a maid, played by Margarida Corceiro, who doesn’t want to work or clean bathrooms; she prefers admiring guests’ jewelry, shoes, and dresses…
The character Júlia Palha at the reception doesn’t want to assist clients; she’d rather play Solitaire, not concerned with being a good employee. Today’s youths are more ‘complicated.’ Social media has its positives, but also many distractions. Even for cinema, the challenge is making young people put down their phones and do other things—not just attend movies, but also study, work…
Portuguese cinema still needs more support—not just ‘Hotel Amor,’ but all Portuguese films deserve and should have a larger audience
I spoke with Jessica Athayde about the film, and she mentioned hoping the younger cast will attract more people to the cinema. Do you believe this might happen, that it could have some influence?
I believe it can. The cast is well-known in Portugal—Jessica Athayde, Júlia Palha, Francisco Froes, Margarida Corceiro, Lucas Dutra, Igor Regalla… They are names that fully capture interest. Undoubtedly, the younger cast such as Margarida, Júlia, and Vera Moura hold more appeal for younger audiences, but I think it’s a film that will spark curiosity in everyone.
I sincerely hope everyone will see the film because we need to support our cinema. Many Portuguese saw ‘Ainda Estou Aqui,’ but there’s still a need to support Portuguese cinema in general—not just ‘Hotel Amor,’ but all Portuguese films deserve and should have a broader audience.
