ISLAMABAD: “The Glassworker,” Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature, has made history by being shortlisted for the 97th Academy Awards.
The film, directed by Usman Riaz, shortlisted in both the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories.
Released in July, “The Glassworker” tells the coming-of-age story of Vincent, an apprentice at his father’s glass workshop, and Alliz, a gifted violinist caught between the expectations of her military father and the looming threat of war. With 1,477 cuts and 2,500 individual drawings, the film showcases a painstaking level of craftsmanship.
“Thirty-one features are eligible for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards,” the Academy said in a list released on its website, with “The Glassworker” among them.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced this week that the film is among the 31 contenders for the Animated Feature Film category.
The Glassworker also joined films from 84 other countries in the International Feature category.
As the Academy noted, films in this category can also qualify for other nominations, including Best Picture. Additionally, animated features submitted as their country’s official entry for the International Feature Film category are eligible in that division as well.
The film’s production involved a team of 250 national and international cast and crew members and was produced by Riaz’s Karachi-based Mano Animation Studios.
In September, it became the first animated feature from Pakistan to be nominated for Oscars consideration.
“This achievement will be remembered in our cinematic history,” said the Academy Selection Committee of Pakistan, praising Riaz’s exceptional storytelling and artistic vision.
Five films from the list will be shortlisted for nominations in the Animated Feature Film category, with the final winner set to be announced at the Oscars ceremony on March 3, 2025.
