Showcast: Pakistan's First Hand-Drawn Animated Feature Film w/ Usman Riaz (2024 Annecy)

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) CHAPTERS (00:00) Intro (01:36) Meeting Usman Riaz (03:20) Making animation history (06:28) A film with an anti-war message (10:16) Working on the music (12:55) A timeless setting (15:30) A burgeoning animation industry in Pakistan? (19:05) Outro