Director Jonatán López Bring the World to Life in New Global Airbnb Experiences Campaign

Golden LA announces the release of Things to do that stay with you, a new campaign for Airbnb Experiences directed by Jonatán López. A kinetic, globe-spanning celebration of the moments that stay with us long after we leave a place, the spot moves fluidly through charged, intimate scenes shot across Tokyo and Mexico City: drifting cars on rain-slicked streets, shared meals in crowded markets, dances with strangers, horseback rides at golden hour, late-night boat rides, and the particular electricity of an unfamiliar city at dawn. Shot entirely from a first-person point of view on Panavision lenses, the film places the viewer directly inside each memory rather than observing it from a distance. Making the case that Airbnb Experiences doesn't just offer activities, but the kind of vivid, unrepeatable moments that reshape how we see the world. 

"I could pluck straight from my memories of traveling with friends and loved ones. Nearly every scene is something that happened in real life, so there was a point of reference for how those moments should feel on screen. I took these atomized moments in my heart and said, here's a buffet to feast on. Let's see what works. They trusted me, I trusted them — our dialogue was always in service of pushing the creative to tell the most meaningful, visually stimulating story." recalls López. 

The production was as demanding as it was ambitious. From award to delivery, the entire project spanned just two weeks. Requiring nonstop planning, casting, location sourcing, and execution across two continents. The team built a custom camera rig inspired by Nickel Boys cinematographer Jomo Fray, shooting on a Rialto system that traveled onto boats, on horseback, and through active markets and restaurants. When López arrived in Tokyo with an idea to incorporate drifting cars, the production made it happen, on schedule and within budget. 

“Jonatán brings a natural, almost instinctive attunement to the world around him and this film is proof of what happens when that sensibility gets the room to breathe. Every moment lands with intention. It’s a piece full of passion and genuine feeling, and exactly the kind of work we set out to make.” says Golden LA Executive Producer, Dahlia Stone.

Director of Photography Gregorio Acuña brought a quality of presence on set that allowed moments to unfold with unguarded authenticity, disappearing into the cast so completely that subjects forgot he was filming. The campaign marks López's first production since signing with Golden LA. Golden LA is a multi-disciplinary studio driven by a roster of live action directors and a collective of designers and visual effects artists. Represented by Hunky Dory, GRG, and Bueno.

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