The ice merchant of Chimborazo

Amid the raw, icy climate of Ecuador’s highlands, an age-old tradition is on the brink of extinction. Baltazar Ushca, one of the last ice merchants of the region, is determined to keep it alive. For years, he has trekked up the slopes of Chimborazo, a magnificent mountain towering over Ecuadorean Andes, to harvest glacial ice. Every block he chips away and delivers to the nearby city of Riobamba is testimony to his unwavering commitment.

In today’s world of modern refrigeration technology, being an ice merchant is no longer a viable profession. But for Ushca, it is the identity that defines him. The story of Baltazar Ushca and his fight to preserve the disappearing tradition of ice merchants is the focus of the documentary. It is a tribute to a man whose unwavering resilience and devotion to his craft is an inspiration to all.