Pakistan’s First Hand-Drawn Animated Feature Film w/ Usman Riaz

Listen to our podcast conversation with Usman Riaz, director of The Glassworker from the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

In this episode of the Showcast, we uncover the incredible story behind The Glassworker, Pakistan’s first-ever hand-drawn animated feature film, fresh off its premiere at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. We’ll be speaking with the film’s director, the man with the vision, Usman Riaz.

Described as an anti-war film, The Glassworker chronicles the epic romance between a young glassworker in training and a young musician searching for her own voice, against the backdrop of their country’s years of war and strife.

In our podcast conversation, Riaz shares insights into the film’s ambitious multi-year production, share with us the origins of the story and the message he hoped to communicate with it, and discusses such elements as style and the importance of music. As we celebrate this historic milestone in Pakistan’s film history, we also reflect on the significance of The Glassworker and the impact it may have in inspiring a growth in the country’s burgeoning animation sector. (Image: Mano Animation Studios)

Showcast is a series of candid podcast conversations from film festivals and film markets, presented by The Film Verdict and hosted by Matt Micucci.