The Glassworker (Urdu: شیشہ گر, romanized: Sheesha Gar) is a 2024 Pakistani animated film produced by Mano Animation Studios.[1] The film is directed by Usman Riaz (in his directorial debut) from a screenplay written by Moya O'Shea and produced by Khizer Riaz and Manuel Cristóbal.[2][3] Featuring anime-influenced animation, it is Pakistan's first hand-drawn animated feature film.[4]
| The Glassworker | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Usman Riaz |
| Screenplay by | Moya O’Shea |
| Story by | Usman Riaz Moya O'Shea |
| Produced by | Khizer Riaz Manuel Cristóbal |
| Starring | Art Malik Sacha Dhawan Anjli Mohindra Khaled Anam Mooroo Mariam Riaz Paracha Tony Jayawardena Teresa Gallagher Mina Anwar (See full cast) |
| Cinematography | Usman Riaz |
| Edited by | Jose Manuel Jimenez |
| Music by | Usman Riaz Carmine Diflorio |
Production company | Mano Animation Studios |
| Distributed by |
|
Release dates |
|
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Languages | Urdu English |
The film premiered at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival on 10 June and was released in theatres in Pakistan on 26 July 2024.[5][6]
Plot
editThis article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (July 2024) |
Vincent Oliver is the son of a master glassworker, Tomas Oliver, in the seaside town of Waterfront which is renowned for its fertile soil and beachside sand rich in silicon. This fertility causes the town to become a subject of dispute between two nations. Djinns, described as fire spirits, are an important aspect of the story. The movie begins with an adult Vincent and his father preparing for his very first glasswork exhibition. While searching an old storeroom, Vincent is subtly led by a blue flame to a box containing a letter and a glass butterfly hairpin. The letter was written to Vincent long ago by Alliz Amano, his childhood friend and the girl whom he loved. Having locked it away for years, he finally begins to read the letter which describes past events and Alliz's feelings.
Many years earlier, a young Vincent is not allowed to go to school by his father, who instead home-schools him and trains him in the art of glassworking. As such Vincent finds himself without friends and is often a target of bullying by the other boys. One day, a girl named Alliz walks into their shop after being fascinated by the sculptures on display, and encounters Vincent, but rushes outside before they can talk when her mother calls out to her. With a looming threat of war with the country to the south, one Colonel Amano is stationed at Waterfront, and a military parade is held on the streets to welcome him. Tomas and Vincent witness the parade and find that riding alongside the Colonel is his wife and his daughter, Alliz. Tomas vehemently opposes warfare and believes in pacifism, values that he instills into his son as well. Alliz aspires to be a violinist and joins the college of arts in Waterfront. Vincent and Alliz meet properly along a secluded beach behind the shop and he tells her about djinns, and a rumor of one living in the nearby cave. Alliz insists that Vincent show her his glassworking skills and he takes her to his shop. He makes a glass flowerbead for her and promises to make her something special at a later time, before Tomas arrives and tells Alliz to leave since he does not approve of the friendship and her to potentially get hurt in the dangerous working environment.
Despite this, the two continue to meet and grow their friendship while also working to refine their respective arts over the years. War breaks out and the town of Waterfront finds itself to be at the forefront of it. Locals, including young teens, are drafted into the military. Tomas and Vincent becomes the subject of ridicule by the town for their pacifist stance. One of Alliz's classmates, Malik, falls in love with Alliz and becomes jealous of the attention she gives to Vincent. Malik joins the military in order to find glory and win Alliz over, and denounces Vincent by calling him a coward. Colonel Amano pays a visit to Tomas' shop and forces him to cooperate with the military by manufacturing advanced glass rectifiers, which power the military hardware and aircraft. While opposed to taking any part in the war, Tomas is nonetheless left with no choice but to comply, and he begins to manufacture and supply the military with the rectifiers in secret to avoid any spies from discovering the exchange.
With the advantage provided to the military by Tomas, the enemy nation scales up its attacks. Colonel Amano is sent to defend a critical area with his battalion, which includes Malik and many other locals. During the departure, Malik confesses to Alliz and tells her he is fighting to win her over, a fact which she finds puzzling. Time passes, and one day as Vincent and Alliz are strolling across the town, a bombing raid by the enemy is conducted on Waterfront. Shaken by the bombing, the two share their insecurities and grievances with each other. Alliz accuses Vincent of being a coward, citing that he did not serve his nation the same way as Malik did. Vincent, already fearing that Alliz will be married off to Malik by her parents, becomes jealous at hearing this and ridicules her music, telling her that unlike his glassworking, she only plays what is in front of her instead of creating something by herself. Alliz gets upset and gives back to Vincent the glass bead he created for her before leaving. The two immediately regret this and want to reconcile.
Having been given the news of her father going missing in action and presumably dead, Alliz finds solace in her violin and begins to write her very own piece of music. She is given a chance for a solo performance at the college festival and invites Vincent to her performance. Vincent fulfills his promise of creating something special for her, and crafts a beautiful glass butterfly hairpin, intending it to be a gift after the performance. However, he is stopped outside the venue by military personnel who are on high alert for potential enemy soldiers in the vicinity, and they antagonize him and throw away the invitation card. Without the invitation, Vincent is not allowed inside, and instead scales the building to watch the performance from the roof. Finding his seat empty, a dismayed Alliz begins to play the violin, unaware that Vincent is watching from above. Just before her performance ends, Vincent takes note of some soldiers approaching the college and believing them to be the enemy, climbs down to confront them. Inside, a flash of blue light (presumably by a djinn) attracts Alliz's attention towards the window where Vincent was moments earlier, followed by Malik walking into the venue shouldering the heavily injured Colonel Amano. Vincent witnesses Alliz kissing Malik for returning her father to her, and everyone present rejoices and hails Malik as a hero for his bravery. Feeling betrayed, Vincent rushes to the beach and tries to throw away the glass butterfly hairpin, but is stopped by the djinn. A few days later, he discovers that Alliz is to be married to Malik and leave Waterfront. Vincent rushes to her house to meet her, but is turned away by Alliz's mother and the guards.
Disheartened, years of mockery by the people and his love being snatched away from him take a toll on Vincent in this moment, and returning to the workshop he asks Tomas to let him help with the creation of the rectifiers. Filled with rage, Vincent deliberately sabotages the manufacturing process, intending for the faulty rectifiers to ground the planes and end the fighting. With her preparations for leaving complete, Alliz visits the shop and asks Tomas to give Vincent her letter before she departs by train. The same night during their secret delivery, Tomas and Vincent lower the shipment to soldiers waiting at the bottom of the cliff behind their shop using a rope and pulley. Vincent has a moment of regret when he realizes that his actions will cause soldiers to die as the engines fail mid-flight, and he confesses his wrongdoing to Tomas. With Vincent momentarily in a mentally disoriented state, Tomas desperately pulls the shipment back up just as a sudden bombing raid on Waterfront commences. In the chaos, a Vincent throws the shipment crates over the cliff to destroy them, unaware that Tomas had the rope wound across his arm, which causes his arm to be dismembered. A guilt ridden Vincent breaks down and carries his father to safety. Far away, on a train departing from Waterfront, Alliz and her family witness the bombing on the town just before a bomb hits the train, leaving their fates unknown.
Back in the present, a grown up Vincent finishes reading the letter by Alliz, which detailed the past events and her feelings, ending with the statement that she is in love with him and will wait for him. Now a respected glass sculptor and a valued artist, Vincent attends his glass exhibition with Tomas and is praised for his work. In the midst of his speech, a flash of blue light pulls his attention towards an empty balcony. Returning to the workshop, Vincent opens up the lid of the furnace and proceeds to throw Alliz's letter into the fire, but a burst of blue flames throw him back. The letter burns away with the blue flames and in its place stands Alliz, holding her hand out to Vincent. The scene cuts to Alliz walking on the beach behind the workshop, wearing the glass butterfly hairpin, while Vincent sits and waits for her. As she approaches him, he reaches out and grabs her hand as a blue flame envelops their point of contact, before the screen fades into darkness.
Voice cast
edit| Character | Voice actor | |
|---|---|---|
| Urdu | English | |
| Tomas Oliver | Khaled Anam | Art Malik |
| Vincent Oliver | Mooroo | Sacha Dhawan |
| Alliz Amano | Mariam Riaz Paracha | Anjli Mohindra |
| Colonel Amano | Ameed Riaz | Tony Jayawardena |
| Young Vincent | Mahum Moazzam | Teresa Gallagher |
| Nadia Amano | Faiza Kazi | Mina Anwar |
| Malik Khan | Dino Ali | Sham Ali |
| Penni | Aysha Sheikh | Maya Saroya |
| Principal Bhatti | Usman Riaz | Nila Aalia |
| Professor Ansari | Khalifa Sajeeruddin | Alex Jordan |
| Mrs. Popolzai | Aysha Sheikh | Bex Wood |
Release
editThe film premiered at the 2024 Annecy Film Festival on 10 June 2024.[7]
The film was released in Pakistan on 26 July 2024, distributed by Geo Films and Mandviwalla Entertainment.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ansari, Hasan (27 January 2016). "Usman Riaz's 'The Glassworker': Pakistan's first animated film". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ "Pride of Pakistan: 'The Glassworker' Filmmakers Usman and Khizer Riaz Discuss Their Groundbreaking Production". www.animationmagazine.net. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
- ^ Shackleton, Liz (21 May 2023). "'Delhi Crime' Producer Apoorva Bakshi Boards Pakistan's First Miyazaki-Style Animated Feature, 'The Glassworker'". Deadline. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
- ^ Imaan Sheikh (5 February 2016). "This Is "The Glassworker", Pakistan's First Fully Hand-Drawn Animated Film". Buzz Feed. Archived from the original on 8 February 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ "Mano Animation Makes History with 'The Glassworker,' Pakistan's First 2D Feature". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Annecy Selection 'The Glassworker' Unveils First Trailer, Sets Cannes Market, Pakistan Release Dates (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 26 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Feature Film in Competition – Contrechamp 2: The Glassworker". Annecy International Animation Film Festival. 8 June 2024. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ "Geo Films partners with Mano Animation Studios for animated movie 'The Glassworker'". www.geo.tv. 24 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.