Filming of the postcards for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest is under way in Portugal. We went behind the scenes and caught up with Cesár Sampson, Austria's representative for 2018.

As is now customary, during the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest, short films are shown between each national entry, known as postcards. The theme for the postcards this year is Welcome To Portugal and has been developed by RTP, Host Broadcaster of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest.

Welcome To Portugal

All the participants of Eurovision 2018 will travel to Portugal in the coming weeks to film their individual postcards. Each artist will be given an activity or challenge. For his postcard, Austria's Cesár Sampson got on his bike - literally!

Cesár Sampson, Austria's representative in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, films his postcard in Portugal. © ORF/Pascal Peterson

Cesár's big ride

During his postcard shoot, Cesár joined a group of all-terrain-bikers on an exciting and adrenaline-filled ride taking in the unique landscapes and historic buildings of the local area.

Cesár's postcard was shot in and around Monsanto, one of the oldest and most historic villages of Portugal in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova. In the 12th century, King Afonso I of Portugal conquered the village from the Moors and trusted it to the Knights Templar. The village has kept its authenticity over time, and in 1938 it was voted the "most Portuguese village in Portugal".

Cesár Sampson, Austria's representative in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, films his postcard in Portugal. © ORF/Pascal Peterson

After the filming was completed Cesár said: "It’s excting being back in Portugal, where in just three months the Eurovision Song Contest will take place! Things are slowly gaining momentum, I can feel it! I have fond memories here from my early years as a touring musician, but now during our ride through the surreal rocky area of Mount Monsanto, we have created some more! Breathtaking!"

Cesár Sampson, Austria's representative in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, films his postcard in Portugal. © ORF/Pascal Peterson

Cesar Sampson will perform during the First Semi-Final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday 8th May. The singer is no stranger to Eurovision and was a backing singer for Bulgaria's Kristian Kostov in 2017 and Poli Genova in 2016. His entry for Eurovision 2018 will be released in the coming weeks.