The Glassworker is the first hand-drawn animated feature from Pakistan. It premiered at 2024’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival and now has a U.S. release date of August 15th. The English language trailer is available to watch now.

The Glassworker was produced by Mano Animation Studios and directed by Usman Riaz. It tells the story of a young man named Vincent who runs a glass workshop with his father. Vincent falls in love with an army colonel’s daughter, a violinist named Alliz. Vincent and Alliz struggle to hold on to their art and budding romance while their lives are on the brink of war.

Hand-drawn animation is a rarity in Pakistan, and The Glassworker was the first fully hand-drawn 2D animated film. After its premiered at Annecy in June, it was released in Pakistan the following July. The film was nominated in Annecy’s Contrechamp Grand Prix category and for Best Picture at the Sitges Film Festival. It was also Pakistan’s official entry into the 97th Academy Awards’ International Feature Film category.

The Glassworker was the directorial debut of Usman Riaz, who cited Studio Ghibli as an influence. Riaz founded Karachi-based Mano Animation Studios with Khizer Riaz and Mariam Riaz Paracha in 2015. Usman Riaz shares the “story by” credit with Moya O’Shea, who wrote the screenplay. The English cast includes Sacha Dhawan as Vincent, Art Malik as Vincent’s father, Tomas, Anjli Mohindra as Alliz, Tony Jayawardena as Alliz’s father, Colonel Amano, and Teresa Gallagher as Young Vincent.

The Glassworker is produced by Khizer Riaz and Manuel Cristobal. It was distributed by Geo Films and Mandviwalla Entertainment and will be distributed in the US through Watermelon Pictures on August 15th. The UK and Ireland will get the film on September 19th.

You can watch the English trailer below:

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