'The Glassworker' makes history as Pakistan's first animated submission to Oscars

Pakistan's first-ever hand-drawn animated feature film, 'The Glassworker' written by Usman Riaz, has been selected for the animated films category among other eligible flicks for the 97th Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday that 31 animated features, 169 documentaries, and 85 international films stand eligible for Oscar nominations this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A production of Geo Films in collaboration with Mano Animation Studios, The Glassworker's inclusion as the first animated submission to the Oscars from Pakistan marks a historic moment for the country.

In the animated feature category, the film finds itself competing with industry giants such as Pixar’s Inside Out 2, already celebrated as the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot.

Other significant contenders include Kung Fu Panda 4, Despicable Me 4, and the Japanese entry Kensuke’s Kingdom.

'The Glassworker' took 10 years in the making and was critically acclaimed by enthralled viewers for every filmmaking aspect — from storytelling and cinematography to music, composing, art, animation, and voice-over performances.

It takes the viewers through the story of a young boy named "Vincent" and his father "Tomas", running a fine glass workshop in the country. That is when they find their lives uprooted by an impending war in which they do not want to participate. 

Earlier, the film was officially selected for the 2025 Oscars in the International Feature Film category, alongside entries from 84 nations, including India’s Laapata Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao.

Palestine’s submission, From Ground Zero, has also secured a place on the list.

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

The shortlists for these categories are set to be revealed on 17 December, narrowing the field before the final nominations, which will be announced on 23 January 2025.