Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film ‘The Glassworker’ to hit theatres this summer

Mano Animation Studios is bringing Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film “The Glassworker” to theatres this summer. Helmed by renowned artist Usman Riaz, this studio marks a groundbreaking milestone as Pakistan’s first dedicated hand-drawn animation studio.

Mandviwalla Entertainment, celebrated for its recent distribution of the blockbuster “The Legend of Maula Jatt”, has signed an agreement to serve as the local distributor for “The Glassworker”. This collaboration holds the promise of bringing this captivating tale to theatres throughout Pakistan, promising viewers an unparalleled cinematic journey.

“We are extremely honoured to be partnering with the prestigious Mandviwalla Entertainment as the official Pakistani Theatrical Distributor for our film,” reads a statement by Mano Animation Studios on Instagram.

“’The Glassworker’ is finally set for release and we are beyond excited to showcase our debut film in theatres across Pakistan, this summer.”

Nadeem Mandviwalla expressed his enthusiasm for the release. “The Glassworker is a work of art created by Usman Riaz and Mano Animation Studios and we are thrilled to be bringing it to Pakistani cinemas for audiences to enjoy in both Urdu and English. The film is a landmark title for Pakistani Cinema; never before has the country produced a hand-drawn animated film of this quality,” Mandviwalla said, as quoted in the statement.

“The Glassworker” has already garnered global attention, having been showcased at the esteemed Cannes Film Festival in 2023 during a special screening.

“A sneak peek of The Glassworker was showcased at Cannes in 2023 and we were lucky enough to have an 80-minute presentation for the ‘Work in progress at Annecy’ at the Annecy International Animation festival in 2022. Our work has been receiving a positive reception and I could not be more grateful,” Usman Riaz told The News.

He said he was very excited to showcase his work to his supporters in Pakistan. “My partners and I have been working very hard for very long. We have had the opportunity to work with remarkable people in Pakistan and internationally. I am excited to share our work with our supporters in Pakistan,” he went on.

Riaz explained that ‘The Glassworker’ was a traditionally animated film as each frame was drawn and painted by hand. He added there was a lot of artistry and work that has gone into each second of the film, and not just in the visuals, but also the sound design and the orchestral music. “It has been a labour of love and I am excited for audiences to see it on the big screen.”