João Gonzalez's film returns to Tokyo in March with a free screening at the Mitaka City Arts Centre in an event organised by the Studio Ghibli Museum.
The animated short film "Ice Merchants" (João Gonzalez, 2022, Portugal/France/United Kingdom, 14') has reached a new and symbolic milestone in its international journey: a screening at the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, one of the world's most prestigious cultural institutions dedicated to animated cinema. This event follows the film's Grand Prize at the 2024 Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF) — the festival's highest distinction — where it also received the Tokyo Governor's Award, recognising its exceptional artistic value and international impact. In 2026, "Ice Merchants" will return to Tokyo for a public screening on March 7th at the Mitaka City Arts Centre, as part of the Mitaka Animation Festival, organised by the Ghibli Museum. This new presentation in Japan further enhances the international festival journey of "Ice Merchants", marking a truly unique trajectory for Portuguese cinema. So far, the film has earned 420 festival selections, 5,207 screenings and an impressive 151 awards, confirming its status as the most awarded Portuguese film ever.
