Ice Merchants (2022)

On the side of a mountain sits a little house where a father and son produce ice to sell to the villagers down below. The only way down each day is to jump with a parachute, and ascend gracefully to the earth. These Ice Merchants know exactly what they’re doing, and they know exactly how to do it–even after tragedy has struck them. One day, however, everything changes–and nothing will ever be the same again.

This silent, animated short is quick and to the point–and even without dialogue, Ice Merchants manages to reach viewers in a strong, emotional fashion. To be able to develop emotion and silent characters at such a quick rate is so incredibly impressive–and had nothing else in the film worked, the reality is that these characters are enough to keep viewers intrigued.

I instantly fell in love with this father and son duo through their genuine interactions with one another, and seeing the way in which they look at one another. How is it even possible to have two, relatively simple cartoons look at one another with passion, love, and sincerity? I don’t have an answer to that question, honestly–but what I can tell you is that this is achieved throughout the entirety of Ice Merchants. There is a clear bond that exists between the father and son, and viewers are easily able to understand the importance of this bond–and it transcends the entirety of Ice Merchants.

The animation is brilliant. It’s very possible to those from the outside looking in that the animation appears rough, almost unfinished to a degree. I’d even use the word choppy to describe some of the instances throughout the course of Ice Merchants–but the reality is that the animation is actually quite calculated. This is a rough life that each of these characters live, and the animation is a representation of this. The seemingly fractured nature of the animation reflects the difficult reality of this small family–but the fact of the matter is that the animation is meticulously crafted, and it’s everything that Ice Merchants needs for success, just like this family. Not only is this aspect of the film literally crafted with expertise, its role in developing the film is beautiful as well.

Ice Merchants doesn’t waste any time diving into the narrative or developing characters, and viewers are quickly pulled into the film. This touching short film is full of passion, vigor, and emotion–refusing to relent throughout the film, and continuing to entice viewers from beginning to end. With Ice Merchant’s recent nomination for Best Animated Short at this year’s Academy Awards, I had high hopes for the film. That sort of nomination can, to some degree, destroy a film. The reality is that people expect a certain pedigree from a film with this moniker, and it can sometimes be challenging to live up to the standards put forth by the consumer. However, Ice Merchants is one of those films that is absolutely deserving of the praise, of the nomination, and, honestly, the win.

Written & Directed by João Gonzalez.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10