Pakistan's 'The Glassworker' continues in race for Oscar

Pakistan’s first-ever hand-drawn animated movie, ‘The Glassworker’ directed by Usman Riaz, has made it to the list of eligible films for the 97th Academy Awards.

The Academy released its latest list of eligible films in the animated, documentary, and international feature categories. The list includes major blockbusters and acclaimed projects from both big studios and independent creators.

The shortlists will be announced on December 17, ahead of the final nominations on January 23, 2025.

The Glassworker, produced by Mano Animation Studios, is one of 31 animated features and 85 international features in the running.

This is a historic moment for Pakistan as it is the country’s first animated submission to the Oscars.

The nominees are chosen through a rigorous voting process. For animated features, members of the Academy’s Animation Branch evaluate submissions. For international features, Academy members from all branches meet specific viewing criteria.

In the animation feature category, The Glassworker is listed alongside big names like Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot.

Other notable entries in this category include Kung Fu Panda 4, Despicable Me 4, and the Japanese film Kensuke’s Kingdom.

In the international feature category, The Glassworker joins films from 84 other countries, including India’s Laapata Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao.

Palestinian submission From Ground Zero, a 2024 anthology film directed by 22 Palestinian directors, is also on the list. This film includes 22 short films about the situation in Gaza. The same list includes Israel’s submission, Come Closer.

This year’s competition also features critically acclaimed works such as France’s Emilia Pérez, Germany’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, and Brazil’s I’m Still Here.

Earlier, Pakistan’s first Ghibli-style animated film, The Glassworker, was screened at the Hiroshima Animation Festival in Japan. Among thousands of entries from 97 countries and regions across the world, it competed in the ‘Feature Competition’ category.

This is an achievement that showcases Pakistan’s animation talent on the global stage. The Glassworker promises a heartwarming and visually stunning experience.

The film, directed by Usman Riaz and Mairam Riaz Paracha and produced by Geo Films, was released on July 26, 2024, in Pakistan. It has now crossed the 30 million milestone at the box office.