Usman Riaz breaks new ground with Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film

When Usman Riaz first picked up a pencil, it was not to make history. Yet decades later, the Karachi-born artist, composer and filmmaker did exactly that – by creating The Glassworker, Pakistan’s first-ever hand-drawn animated feature.

The film, which was selected as Pakistan’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars, will close this year’s UK Asian Film Festival and marks another remarkable chapter in Riaz’s increasingly inspiring creative journey.

“It is an incredible honour,” says Riaz. “To have The Glassworker included at the UK Asian Film Festival – a platform that celebrates South Asian voices – means a lot to me, especially because this is the first hand-drawn animated feature film from Pakistan. It feels like a meaningful homecoming of sorts.”

The GlassworkerInstagram/ usmanoriaz

Riaz’s journey began with a love for visual art and music – passions that eventually led him to animation, which he describes as “the perfect combination” of the two. “Filmmaking allowed me to bring all of that together – visual art, sound, emotion, narrative. It gave me a way to express things I could not articulate otherwise,” he explains.

Set in the fictional Waterfront Town, The Glassworker is a coming-of-age tale following Vincent, a young apprentice in his father’s glass workshop, and Alliz, a gifted violinist and daughter of a military colonel. As war slowly tears the world around them apart, their lives intertwine. Riaz says the film explores art, love and the quiet courage it takes to follow one’s heart.

He was particularly inspired by the way political and personal conflict can shape individuals. “I wanted to explore how children inherit the consequences of decisions made by adults,” he says. “But more than that, I was inspired by the resilience of artists – and how music, craft and beauty can survive even in the harshest of times.”

Riaz also drew inspiration from his home city of Karachi, with its architecture, energy and contradictions woven into the visual world of the film. The project took more than a decade to complete – a labour of love that included building Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animation studio from the ground up. “Everything was a challenge,” Riaz recalls. “Training artists, creating a production pipeline, finding financing – it was a monumental task. But the biggest personal challenge was sustaining the vision over such a long period.”

Throughout the production, Riaz wore many hats – directing, animating, storyboarding every scene, and co-composing the musical score. “The line between exhaustion and obsession gets very blurry,” he admits. “But I am grateful to have worked with a wonderful team – in Pakistan and internationally – to bring this film to life.”

Every street corner, skyline and building in The Glassworker has been imagined with care, creating a world that feels tangible despite being entirely invented. The musical score – sweeping and emotional with classical influences – is just as integral to the storytelling as the visuals. Riaz hopes that the film will resonate with anyone who has ever felt out of place or clung to something beautiful in a difficult world.

“I made this film for dreamers, artists, and especially for young people in South Asia who have not seen themselves create animated films like this. I hope they watch it and feel proud.”

One of his favourite scenes comes near the end of the film, when Vincent and his father stand silently on a cliff overlooking the sea. “It is not flashy or dramatic, but there is a tenderness there – in the way they connect, the sound of the ocean, the subtle animation. It captures everything I wanted the film to be: sincere, thoughtful and deeply human.”

Riaz’s creative influences include Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki. “His work has had a profound impact on me – not just in terms of animation but in how he approaches storytelling, with empathy, nuance and respect for the audience’s intelligence.”

He also admires the poetic style of director Terrence Malick. Riaz is already working on a new project, although he is keeping the details under wraps for now. “It is a miracle to make one feature film. If I am lucky enough to do it again, I will take everything I have learned and do it even better,” he says with a smile. “Hopefully it will not take another 10 years.”

He believes festivals like the UK Asian Film Festival play a vital role in elevating underrepresented voices, particularly when it comes to animation from South Asia. “These festivals remind the world that our stories matter. They give independent creators like me the oxygen to keep going.”

And why should audiences see The Glassworker on the festival’s closing night? “Because it is something you (hopefully) have not seen before,” says Riaz. “It is hand-drawn, heartfelt, and it comes from a place of deep love for cinema, music and the region I am from. If you have ever wanted to see what south Asian animation can be, come experience it with us.”

The Glassworker will be screened at The UK Asian Film Festival on Saturday (10) at BFI Southbank in London.www.tonguesonfire.com