Sometimes it is hard to stay true to yourself, to have the courage of your convictions, and still be accepted. Especially in times of war when you are a pacifist.
From Karachi, Pakistan, via the Berklee College of Music in Boston and the influence of Ghibli Studios in Japan, comes Usman Riaz’s wondrous world of Watertown, a fantasy every-town caught in a serious grip of trouble that escalates into war and destruction.
Usman Riaz hand-painted 1477 storyboard watercolors that outline “The Glassworker,” a story of Vincent, the son of Tomas Oliver, the town’s master glassworker and dedicated pacifist. The shop and its glass factory rest on a rocky promontory above what is known as the world’s best silica-laden sandy beach. It also rests over a deep cave where it’s whispered a Jinn lives.
In this setting, Vincent, who appears to be about 13 years old, is homeschooled by his father while learning the glasswork trade. One day, he meets red-headed Alliz Amano, the Colonel’s daughter. She is a violin prodigy and about Vincent’s age. Their relationship propels the theme revolving around the challenges of staying true to your passion.
Usman Riaz, the director, writer, composer and animation artist, has said that he was inspired by his passion for animation, glassblowing, and music in the creation of this gorgeous film. He has said that both Vincent and Alliz are him. He was a child protégé, drawing as soon as he could hold a pencil, and playing the piano at age 6. At age 16, he saw a glassworker in Italy and was fascinated by the craft. His interests, his thoughts, and his values are wrapped up in the main characters and their challenges.
Riaz graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he played many instruments. He can play a guitar like a piano, sitar, and tabla with rapid energy. His passion is creativity in its many facets – like the glass Vincent creates with many dimensions of light and color.
In 2014, Riaz began combining his love of music, drawing, and art into his 10-year project, “The Glassblower,” which became Pakistan’s entry into the 2026 Academy Awards.
Riaz has a chance of winning because he has not only produced a magnificent animation style, similar to Hayao Miyazaki, founder of Ghibli Studios, but has also written a deeply meaningful script about human nature. In a further nod to Miyazaki, he also makes a point about the essential value of peace in creativity, happiness, and fulfillment.
Rating: 10/10
Credits
Director: Usman Riaz
Screenplay: Moya O’Shea
Story: Usman Riaz and Moya O’Shea
Voices in the English Production: Art Malik, Sacha Dhawan, Teresa Gallagher, Anjli Mohindra, Mina Anwar
Voices in the Urdu Production: Khaled Anam, Mooroo, Mahum Moazzam, Mariam Riaz Paracha, Ameed Riaz, and Faiza Kazi
Producers: Khizer Riaz and Manuel Cristóbal
Cinematography: Usman Riaz
Editor: Jose Manuel Jimenez
Music: Usman Riaz and Carmine Diflorio
Art Director: Mariam Riaz Paracha
Production Company: Mano Animation Studios
Created in Pakistan
Release: Aug. 15, 2025 (limited)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/manoanimationstudios/
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