Under the soft glow of crystal chandeliers of her Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park suite, Bollywood star Alia Bhatt checks her phone – her diamonds, specially arranged for a charity gala, haven’t arrived. Floral artisans, butlers, and event coordinators share calm glances as minutes stretch on. A discreet knock finally brings the jewels, and relief floods Bhatt’s face. More than a wardrobe fix, it’s a glimpse of the invisible choreography that defines true luxury service.
This fluid dance between anticipation and execution is at the heart of Inside the Dream, Mandarin Oriental’s new 53-minute film, which is now streaming on Prime Video, Canal+ and Tencent worldwide. More than an extended commercial, the project is a cinematic deep dive into the artistry woven through every guest experience. From the 10th-anniversary celebration at Mandarin Oriental Bodrum – complete with a surprise Kylie Minogue performance – to the grand opening of Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, showcasing Beijing-born piano virtuoso Yuja Wang, it offers an insider’s look at the seamless orchestration behind the pinnacle of luxury hospitality.
Produced in partnership with Terminal 9 Studios, Inside the Dream forgoes traditional promotional tropes in favour of storytelling with soul.
“The inspiration behind Inside the Dream came from our desire to explore a new frontier of storytelling, one that deepens this connection through cinematic expression, while offering a rare look behind the scenes at the people, detail and artistry that shape every guest experience, one that deepens this connection through cinematic expression, while offering a rare look behind the scenes at the people, detail and artistry that shape every guest experience,” Alex Schellenberger, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, tells BurdaLuxury. “It was an opportunity to go beyond traditional hospitality marketing and instead express the emotion, craftsmanship and purpose that define Mandarin Oriental.”
Schellenberger described Inside the Dream not as a traditional advertisement, but as a cinematic story that captures the emotion and detail behind everything Mandarin Oriental stands for. Rather than simply showcasing a property or listing its features, the film brings to life the craftsmanship, care, and human connection that define the brand.
The response to Inside the Dream has been positive. “Audiences have resonated with the film globally, often commenting on how it captures the spirit of Mandarin Oriental in a way that feels both intimate and aspirational,” says Schellenberger.
He says, “What’s been especially rewarding is hearing that the film doesn’t feel like a brand piece, it feels like a story worth watching in its own right. That sparked conversations about how luxury can be portrayed in different ways and how storytelling can deepen emotional connection without overt messaging.”
In an era where the average person scrolls through thousands of brand messages each week, viewers exposed to branded short films may feel a stronger emotional connection and higher brand recall than those shown standard video ads. So, how do hotels work with filmmakers, and what are their impacts?
Why Film, Why Now?
In today’s crowded digital landscape, consumers are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages daily – a reality that makes traditional advertising increasingly ineffective. That’s why more brands, especially in luxury hospitality, are turning to cinematic storytelling. A 2025 State of Video Technology report found that 78% of consumers want more video from brands, while 58% more likely to purchase from brands that use immersive, next-generation video content – demonstrating a clear shift towards rich visual narratives.
Nielsen’s long-standing analysis reinforces this trend: branded content delivers higher brand recall, with one study showing an 86% recall rate for branded content versus 65% for pre-roll ads. Video marketing delivers tangible ROI too – 93% of marketers report positive returns, and 96% confirm that video has increased brand awareness, according to animation studio Wyzowl’s report.
In luxury hospitality, where emotion and experience are currency, film offers a deeper form of engagement. It transforms passive browsing into emotional resonance – leading guests to care, remember, and ultimately, book.
Behind the Lens: The Terminal 9 Vision
Working alongside Schellenberger was Claude Lacaze, founder and CEO of Terminal 9 Studios – a boutique production house known among luxury brands for its tactile, poetic films. Its Inside the Dream series includes collaborations with Mugler, Dior (featuring Charlize Theron), and Bulgari – starring Lisa from BLACKPINK, Zendaya, and Priyanka Chopra. The studio also crafted a high-profile brand campaign for Helena Rubinstein, fronted by Michelle Yeoh, among other projects.
Lacaze’s philosophy is simple: let the audience feel, rather than tell them what to feel. He created Terminal 9 Studios out of a deep belief: luxury deserves a new kind of storytelling.
“After years of working behind the scenes, I saw a gap between what brands were experiencing internally, their artistry, their human journeys, and what they were communicating to the world,” Lacaze tells BurdaLuxury. “Traditional formats weren’t capturing the emotional and cultural dimension of luxury.”
His first client was Bulgari, with their film Inside the Dream, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was later acquired by Amazon Prime Video and Tencent for distribution in over 100 countries. “It changed everything for us,” he says. “It proved that if the story is authentic, elevated, and universal, the audience will respond.”
The process of collaboration begins by exploring the emotions the brand aims to evoke, rather than just what to show. A carefully crafted narrative and timeline follow, balancing creativity with structure. From kickoff to delivery, films can take anywhere from nine to 18 months. Collaboration with the brand is close, but creative freedom is maintained to ensure authenticity. “We film in real locations, over real time, following the rhythm of creation,” he explains. “It’s documentary storytelling elevated to luxury standards, intimate, poetic, global.”
At Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London, Torsten van Dullemen, Area Vice President of Operations and General Manager, was particularly proud of how Inside the Dream captured the poetry of service.
“The film beautifully conveys values we hold close at Mandarin Oriental: attention to detail, craftsmanship, and above all, a deep pride in what we do,” van Dullemen tells BurdaLuxury. “There’s something quite powerful in watching the creative process unfold; it’s about human connection, care and creating something meaningful.”
He hopes that people will come away from the film with a strong sense of the passion and precision that goes into every detail of the Mandarin Oriental experience. “In luxury hospitality, what guests often see is just the tip of the iceberg,” he explains. “What they don’t always see is the craftsmanship behind it all, the care in how a room is prepared, how a dish is plated, or how a moment is created.”
The Art and Business of Film and Hotel Collaborations
While some hotels are producing branded films, others are expanding into film-related experiences and immersive environments that blur the lines between hospitality and storytelling. Nowhere is this more evident than in the work of legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.
In Georgia, Coppola has taken the concept to a new level with The All-Movie Hotel at Trilith Studios, a property designed as a living film set. Known for directing classics like The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now, Coppola envisioned a hotel where he could “build a hospitality experience centred on the creative process, encouraging collaboration, innovation, and convenience for content creators,” Lidia Valledor, Director of Hospitality Operations for Francis Ford Coppola Presents, explains to BurdaLuxury.
At the time Coppola was planning to shoot his latest film, Megalopolis, he was also seeking accommodation for himself and his crew. The location of The All-Movie Hotel proved ideal, situated just a few miles from Trilith Studios, where the movie was being filmed.
Since opening, the property has attracted an eclectic mix of established auteurs and up-and-coming filmmakers. “Whether it’s a director, screenwriter, editor, or someone simply curious about the creative process, the space is intentionally designed to awaken ideas,” says Valledor. “The quiet Peachtree City, paired with state-of-the-art creative facilities, makes it a rare haven for artistic focus. You have recharged and, often, with a new project in mind. You leave inspired, with a deeper appreciation for the art and craft of filmmaking. Communal spaces, curated screenings, and shared meals encourage organic conversations.” Guests who are not filmmakers can still enjoy the distinctive Coppola touch, with memorabilia from his films, comfortable rooms, access to exclusive movie nights in the property’s screening room, and a homemade breakfast.
Not all collaborations are forward-looking. Some filmmakers draw on cinematic history to create immersive nostalgia. Mountain Lake Lodge in Virginia, the real-life Kellerman’s Mountain House from Dirty Dancing, has spent decades refining this model. The lodge offers immersive experiences like Dirty Dancing Weekends, as well as an annual festival held in collaboration with Lionsgate.
“This is a bucket list trip, and most of the time, guests have waited a year or more to make their dream a reality,” Heidi Stone, the lodge’s President and General Manager, shares in an interview with BurdaLuxury. Stone says that the weekends are generally sold out a year in advance. When guests arrive under the portico to check in for the weekend, they’re stepping straight into Kellerman’s Mountain House. Staff are dressed in replica Kellerman’s T-shirts, just like in the film, setting the tone for a nostalgic experience. The opening night kicks off with a themed dance party where guests are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite Dirty Dancing character. “Guests become immersed in the 1960s and the 1980s for the weekend, and they love it!” says Stone.
Golden Door, a luxury wellness resort nestled in San Marcos, California, has forged a unique partnership with filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg. Known for his captivating time-lapse nature films, Schwartzberg’s work plays a central role in the resort’s Visual Healing Room, where guests are invited to slow down and immerse themselves in breathtaking imagery that reveals nature’s hidden rhythms.
The collaboration deepened with the launch of The Circle, an innovative outdoor experience set on Golden Door’s labyrinth. Here, Schwartzberg’s films are projected across a dozen screens surrounding a 360-degree, 10-foot-high stage. Live performances by internationally acclaimed musicians create an immersive environment, blending sight and sound to promote relaxation and emotional renewal. This fusion of art and wellness is designed not only to soothe but also to connect guests more deeply with themselves and the natural world around them.
Outside of hotels, real estate projects like Eywa have also collaborated with BBC StoryWorks to bring their wellness philosophies to life on screen. Located in the heart of the UAE, Eywa is a regenerative residential development that defies conventional real estate models. It was recently featured in In Pursuit of Wellness, a documentary series produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions in partnership with the Global Wellness Institute.
“Our collaboration with BBC StoryWorks was born out of a shared desire to reframe how wellness is understood – not just a personal pursuit, but as a way of being that can shape communities, cities, and even real estate,” Alex Zagrebelny, Founder and CEO of R.Evolution tells BurdaLuxury.
“Social engagement surged following the film’s release, and what stood out most were the conversations it sparked – around how the built environment can restore rather than deplete,” says Zagrebelny. “It’s clear the documentary didn’t just inform; it inspired. That deeper emotional connection is what we value most.”
Balancing Act: Benefits and Hurdles
The appeal of cinematic collaborations in hospitality is unmistakable. When done well, a hotel film isn’t just a marketing asset – it’s a mood, a memory, a myth in motion. These visual stories foster emotional connection, deepen brand recall, and often spark the kind of organic buzz that traditional campaigns can only aspire to. But behind the allure lies a series of challenges that require finesse as much as funding.
Operational disruption is inevitable. Integrating a production crew into a working hotel – where discretion, tranquility, and guest experience are paramount – is no small feat.
The solution? Precision planning. Savvy hoteliers schedule shoots during shoulder seasons or partial closures, when occupancy is low and flexibility is higher. Some go further, offering dedicated wings or after-hours access, ensuring that storytelling never comes at the expense of hospitality.
Budgets and timelines also tend to expand. High production values don’t come cheap, and a well-executed short film can take months to complete – from early concept to final edit.
But the restaurants are long-term. When viewed as a brand legacy piece – not a seasonal campaign – these films can deliver value for years, especially if they are crafted to transcend trends. Strategic partnerships with filmmakers, or co-productions with tourism boards, can also help stretch budgets and widen reach.
And finally, distribution is everything. Even the most captivating film will fall flat if it’s uploaded and forgotten.
The rollout should feel as considered as the film itself. From private premieres and media screenings to strategic digital launches and in-room placements, the smartest brands think like studios. Some even submit to film festivals – not for awards, but to signal credibility.
BurdaLuxury’s Lens
As hotels vie for attention in a crowded marketplace, film offers a route to cut through – by forging genuine emotional bonds rather than transactional interactions. It transforms spaces into stages, guests into protagonists, and brands into storytellers.
In Asia, where millennia of storytelling traditions converge with cutting-edge digital media, the potential is vast. Whether it’s Mandarin Oriental’s homage to craftsmanship, Coppola’s creative incubator in Georgia, or Mountain Lake’s pilgrimage of nostalgia, one thing is clear: the hotel of tomorrow won’t just sell a bed – it will direct an experience.
