João Gonzalez (Porto, 1996) is an Oscar-Nominated director, animator, illustrator and musician with classical training in piano. He is a member of "COLA Animation", and has a great interest in combining his musical background with his artistic practice in animated cinema.
In 2022 he premiered his last short film "Ice Merchants" in Cannes, winning Best Short Film in Competition at the Critics Week, later becoming the first Portuguese film to be nominated for an OSCAR®, and the second to win the Annie Award. "Ice Merchants" is currently the most awarded Portuguese film in history, with more than 150 international awards at film festivals around the world. In 2023, João was invited to become a member of The Academy® of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
