Portuguese Animators Win Big at Quirino Awards, Signaling Growth in Ibero-American Cinema

Portugal's animation sector secured two awards at the 9th Quirino Awards, reinforcing the country's growing footprint in Ibero-American cinema. Marta Reis Andrade claimed Best Short Film for "Cão Sozinho," while Ana Marta Mendes won Best Music Video for "Paulinha"—a double triumph that underscores the creative muscle of Portugal's animation studios and independent filmmakers.

The awards ceremony, held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife just yesterday, distributed prizes across 5 countries, with Spain leading with 3 wins, followed by Colombia, Portugal, and Brazil with 2 each, and Argentina with 1.

Why This Matters

• Visibility boost: Portugal-based animators are gaining international traction, particularly in European co-production circles where funding and distribution partnerships are forged.

• Economic signal: The animation sector contributes 2% to 4% of the Ibero-American region's GDP, and Portugal's rising profile could attract more investment and talent.

• Next edition: The 10th Quirino Awards will run from April 21-23, 2027, again in Tenerife—a crucial networking opportunity for Portuguese producers.

Double Recognition for Portuguese Creators

Marta Reis Andrade's "Cão Sozinho" is a 13-minute short co-produced by BAP Animation (Portugal) and IKKI Films (France). The film tells the true story of a dog abandoned in its own home, weaving together threads of the director's grandfather's widowhood and her own isolation during her time in London. Andrade, born in 1991, trained at the Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema (ESTC) in Portugal, completed her degree at FAMU in Prague, studied animation in Paris, and earned a master's degree at the Royal College of Art in London. She returned to Portugal in 2018 and now works at BAP – Animation Studios as a director and animator.

"Cão Sozinho" had already claimed the Grand Prize Vasco Granja/SPA at the 25th edition of the Lisbon Animation Festival (MONSTRA) in March. It world-premiered at the Grand Competition of Animafest Zagreb in Croatia in June 2025, marking an early international stamp of approval.

Ana Marta Mendes's "Paulinha," produced by Os Filmes do Pinguim, was created as a music video for Portuguese musician Raul Manarte. The Best Music Video category at the Quirino Awards recognizes commissioned animation, a growing revenue stream for studios seeking to diversify beyond traditional film production.

The Broader Quirino Lineup

The Best Feature Film prize went to "Decorado," directed by Galician filmmaker Alberto Vázquez. This is a Spain-Portugal co-production involving Sardinha em Lata, a Portugal-based animation house that has become a key player in cross-border projects. "Decorado" also competed at MONSTRA 2026, where it was one of the feature-length finalists.

Colombia's Julián Gómez Reyes took Best Series for "There is Something Behind You," while Brazil's Paulo Garcia and Natalia Gouvea secured Best Commissioned Animation for "18 Months." The Best School Short award went to "Balad of Fishes and Birds" by Anny Uribe and Juan José Arévalo, a Spain-Colombia co-production. Spain's José Ginés Picón López won Best Video Game Animation for "Stars in the Trash."

Three technical categories were also awarded. Brazil's Rosana Urbes earned Best Visual Development for "Safo." "My Gut Friend," an Argentina-Mexico production by José Manuel Lo Bianco and Mariano Andrés Bergara, won Best Animation Design. Spain's James A. Castillo took Best Sound Design and Original Music for "The Quinta's Ghost."

What This Means for Portugal's Animation Industry

Portugal's animation sector has been steadily climbing the international ladder, often punching above its weight in festivals like Annecy, Cannes, and the Oscars. João Gonzalez's "Ice Merchants" became the most awarded Portuguese animation ever, collecting over 100 festival prizes and earning Portugal's first-ever Oscar nomination for animation in 2023. It was also the first Portuguese animated film to win at Cannes.

The Quirino Awards, established in 2018 and named after Quirino Cristiani—the Italian-Argentine director who created the world's first animated feature in 1917—serve a dual purpose: recognition and business development. The accompanying Co-Production and Business Forum has become a vital meeting ground for producers, distributors, broadcasters, and streaming platforms across the 23 Ibero-American nations. The 6th edition of the forum saw a 70% increase in one-on-one meetings compared to the previous year, signaling a maturing market where Portuguese studios can negotiate deals, pitch projects, and secure financing.

For Portugal-based producers and animators, the Quirino circuit offers a strategic advantage. Unlike the sprawling, hyper-competitive landscape of festivals like Annecy, the Quirino Awards focus exclusively on Ibero-American content, creating a more level playing field. This geographic specificity also aligns with Portugal's linguistic and cultural ties to Brazil and Spanish-speaking Latin America, making co-productions more feasible. The presence of public broadcasters and European partners at the forum further expands the potential for cross-border funding.

International Momentum Builds

At the 2026 MONSTRA festival in Lisbon, which ran from March 12-22, 47 Portuguese films were screened, with 5 national productions competing in the International Shorts category. In April, the Athens Animfest 2026 selected 10 Portuguese films for its official lineup, including co-productions with France, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Poland, and Spain.

In June, two Portuguese works will premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026, one of the industry's most prestigious showcases. "Virgem Fandango," a Portugal-Canada co-production by Ciclopes Filmes and Blue Dada Productions, will debut in the official shorts competition. The film is notable for its stop-motion technique using hand-painted Portuguese azulejos. "Porque Hoje é Sábado," by Alice Eça Guimarães, a Portugal-France-Spain co-production, was selected for the Perspectives competitive section.

The feature-length animated film "Viana, Corações de Ouro" is also scheduled for release later in 2026, adding to the country's expanding portfolio of full-length projects.

Jury and Selection Process

The 2026 Quirino jury was composed of an international panel: Cesar Cabral (Brazil), who won Best Film at the Quirino Awards in 2022; Moe Honan (Ireland); Marilyn Montano (Philippines); Martha Sepúlveda (Colombia-USA); and Kresimir Zubcic (Croatia). This global representation ensures that Ibero-American animation is evaluated through diverse aesthetic and narrative lenses, not just regional tastes.

The Bigger Picture

Portugal's animation landscape remains more celebrated abroad than at home. Director Regina Pessoa has publicly noted that Portuguese animation receives greater recognition in France than domestically, a dynamic that reflects both the country's modest domestic market and its outward-facing creative strategy. The reliance on international co-productions—often with France, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands—has become standard practice for financing and distribution.

The "Livro Branco da Animação Ibero-Americana Quirino" (White Book of Ibero-American Animation) offers detailed data on production volumes, employment, and sector challenges, providing benchmarks that policymakers and investors can use to gauge progress. With the animation industry contributing up to 4% of the regional GDP in some Ibero-American countries, Portugal's continued ascent could translate into job creation and cultural exports, particularly if the sector secures sustained public funding and tax incentives similar to those in Tenerife, where the local animation industry has quadrupled since 2015.

The 10th Quirino Awards in April 2027 will mark a full decade since the prize's inception, offering a natural moment to assess how much the Ibero-American animation ecosystem has matured—and where Portugal stands within it.