HOTEL WHISKEY: An Emotional Journey of Grief, Legacy, and Reconciliation.

SISO dies isolated in hospital at the start of the pandemic due to COVID, who hopefully finds comfort in his final moments, recalling the sunset his youngest son, Hugo, showed him the day before. Circumstances deny a farewell for this pilot who spent much of his life flying, often away from home when his kids were young.

Álvaro, his middle son and pilot, begins building an experimental aircraft named “5150,” a numeric tribute to his father. He plans to fly it to Africa and share his passion for aviation with those who’ve never flown, fulfilling his father’s wish.

Meanwhile, Hugo reconstructs his father’s memory through old tapes, interviews, and family stories, uncovering a boy who escaped poverty through the Air Force, a charismatic commander, and a father who, despite contradictions, remained present.

HOTEL WHISKEY is a story of grief and reconciliation, blending aviation and family drama. It reflects on the pandemic’s harsh reality: losing loved ones without a chance of saying goodbye.

Why Do We Need Your Help?

Hotel Whiskey is a project funded with our own resources, along with a small contribution from Castilla-La Mancha, CMMTV, and the Belvís de la Jara City Council.

We continue seeking support from public and private institutions; however, we will need additional funding to cover the post-production process: editing, sound mixing, original soundtrack, and color correction.

IMPORTANT: The actual post-production budget for the documentary is €20,000. The Verkami platform requires meeting a financial goal, and if it is not reached, all contributions are refunded to the backers. For this reason, we have set an initial goal of €3,000—out of caution—to ensure we collect a starting amount.

Expected Timeline

he exact completion date of the documentary will depend on the progress of the airplane's construction. We plan to fly to Morocco next September, which will mark the end of our filming.

Currently, the film has a provisional 60-minute cut, which we will refine once all footage has been shot.

The documentary is scheduled to premiere in March 2026, coinciding with the sixth anniversary of the pandemic's onset.

Who We Are

Hotel Whiskey is a documentary produced by New Folder Studio. It has been developed by a small team that prioritizes time investment (we have been working on this film for five years) over large-scale technical and human resources.

• Director & Writer: Hugo Herrera, producer and director specializing in advertising and documentary. His latest production, A Nuestros Amigos, has been featured in international festivals such as SEMINCI, Mostra São Paulo, RIDM (Montreal)...

• Editing: Marcos Florez.editor of films such as La guitarra flamenca de Yerai Cortés (2025 Goya Award for Best Documentary) and La marsellesa de los borrachos.

• Sound Design & Mixing: Sergio López-Eraña , part of the Milciclos team, studio responsible for the sound in films such as: "Mar Adentro", "Cerrar los ojos", "Maixabel"...

• Original Soundtrack: The film’s score is led by Miguel Rosón, a member of bands like "Melange". Joining him in the creative process are, Sara Muniz y Jose A.Rilla, rom the musical project "Cicada" along with the voice of Vicente Navarro, a leading figure in the neo-folk scene of La Mancha.

Thank You for Your Support

We are incredibly grateful that you have taken the time to learn about our project. And even more thankful if you have decided to support it.

Hotel Whiskey, in addition to being a film, is a tool for grieving that will culminate when we are able to gather in a room to watch it together—family, friends, and strangers who, for one reason or another, have been moved by the project. That will be the funeral, tribute, or ritual, whatever you want to call it, that my father, SISO to his friends, never had and so greatly deserves. Thank you again!

Hugo Herrera

+ Info

• Follow the project also on my Instagram

• And on the production company instagram