User reviews

BEFORE u get angry, read my review till last and think about it.

The glass worker is a nice movie, not gonna lie and i have been following it up for last 4-5 years. But i knew from the start, as this is Usman Riaz first movie the story will have problems and oh oh boy it had alot. The ending was confusing to say the least, as many of the plot of the movie was missing and the movie rapped it up pretty quickly. It also didnt felt "original as Usman Riaz was inspired by Ghibli, which actually made the film feel like "too much" inspired by Ghibli. I know its his first movie but if he had been original with it , it would have been better and also made it more natural and calming rather then rapping it up quickly. IF you actually wanna see what a "MASTER PIECE" looks like, (as people here are screaming that this movie is, although it isnt) Go watch HAYOA MIYAZAKI first film "Nausicaä The Valley of Wind". Or "the castle in the sky", then you will truly understand the art of animation and the beauty of a true master piece story.

The reviews here are totally wrong saying it is the "best movie ever", I have seen alot, i mean ALOT of animated movies and especially Japanese, as i like there 2D natural artwork. I am pretty choosy about my animated movies and this one was a easy 7/10. The main reason being that is, although the animation was beautiful and nice, but the story lacked alot and kinda felt amateurly written + not to forget the Urdu dubbing of the movie, which didnt had any natural feelings. I will highly recommend watching the movie in ENGLISH rather then URDU, because the original script of the movie is in English, due to this the Urdu one felt like a google translation lmao.

This movie had been 10 years in the making and it largely pays off.

The setting is a blend of desi and European culture which is evident with the character names, clothing, food and more.

The art style is obviously inspired by Studio Ghibli but it is unique enough to have its own personality.

The animation during the war scenes are especially breathtaking as the lighting and colours during the explosions are particularly beautiful.

The voice acting is the weakest aspect (I watched it in English, but Urdu had the same issue) but I had expected it from the trailers, however it wasn't terrible.

It was an amazing experience watching this and since it was hand drawn, every single Frame felt like it was drawn with utmost effort. The details were amazing, the voice acting was amazing, the characters, storyline, and everything was worth the time and money.

Altho I overall Loved it and would recommend everyone to watch it, The ending was a bit off.... Like it felt a bit unexpected, as in "Wait what?" But it wasn't bad tho, and I hope they keep on making other such films and maybe even anime series in Pakistan. I'm sure other people would also have a lot of ideas, and with this movie, I hope they gain motivation and make their own movies as well.

Even tho it was the first ever Pakistani animated movie, and hand drawn as well, It was enough to satisfy!

"The Glassworker," directed by Usman Riaz and produced by Mano Animation Studios, is an enchanting hand-drawn animated film that captivates the heart and soul. Set in a land reminiscent of Pakistan, this film tells a profound story of love, artistry, and the relentless shadows of war.

The voice performances are exceptional. The emotional resonance they deliver adds layers to the already rich narrative.

"The Glassworker" is not just a film; it is an experience that lingers long after the credits roll. It challenges the viewer to reflect on the importance of love, art, and individual thought in times of turmoil. Usman Riaz has crafted a timeless piece that stands as a tribute to the power of animation and storytelling.

Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates a beautifully crafted narrative and stunning animation. "The Glassworker" is a rare gem in today's cinematic landscape.

First, let me get this out the way, the movie is aesthetically a masterpiece. Would have never believed that such a beautiful, hand-drawn animation could come out of Pak. The Urdu voice actors were fantastic too, especially the person who voiced Vincent's Dad.

Beyond that I felt the film severely lacked in storyboarding, character development, and overall character arcs. It got tedious and boring at times in between the usual Ghibli tropes. They could have definitely perfected the script in the 10 years the film spent in development. But, in the end they drew stunning animation for a very weak story. Despite that, I was totally on-board with the pacifist message that formed the crux of the story.

Also, they market the film as made-in Pak, but the characters and setting look ostensibly western. I mean, I get it that they wanted to appeal to a global audience, but they could have incorporated more of the local culture apart from token mentions. After all, the film's core viewership and theatre-going base was to be in Pak.

Despite the weak story, I would commend the score of the film. It was hauntingly beautiful and executed masterfully within scenes.

In conclusion, despite it's obvious flaws, The Glassworker is a film to watch for art lovers & Ghibli fans. You might be bored by the story and characters, but the the visuals and music score will keep you there till the end.

P. S: I have heard that the English voiceover is not as good. I watched it in Urdu, so can't comment on that opinion. The Urdu version was quite well done.

The animation was hands-off amazing. The visuals were stunning and appealing, evident of the amount of effort and hark work put into each frame of the movie. The animators did a great job capturing the essence of Ghibli films. The music really brought the viewing experience to the next level, literally got goosebumps hearing some of them.

However... the voice acting could have been somewhat better. The delivery of the dialogues felt a bit off because of the British accent, considering the characters were set in Pakistan. Some scenes felt as if a certain frame was missing, messing with the consistency while some had very fluid animation. As for the storyline, it seemed rather messy and confusing. The theme and storyline could have been portrayed a bit better which would've enhanced the experience greatly.

Overall really enjoyed the movie, would recommend watching it, and really respect Usman Riaz's artistic view and effort on this movie. Creating a hand-drawn animated film in Pakistan is not a small feat and he did an amazing job for such a big project. Looking forward to more of his works!

Pretty good movie overall. Many elements that I liked, for example the animation was amazing, especially for something that is produced in Pakistan. Could clearly tell that they put a lot of effort into it, and influence of Ghibli films could be seen. They nailed the glass working part. The animation seemed to be the main focus of the movie. The voice acting was alright, I didn't like the voice actor voicing the female protagonist (I watched the English version, maybe Urdu was better). The story itself wasn't too original, but was alright, and basically just got the job done. At least they didn't try to force tear-jerker moments for no reason. Good, solid movie, which is altogether unexpected from Pakistani cinema, hopefully this is one of many actual quality movies that we release.

"The Glassworker" doesn't shy away from difficult themes, but it handles them with sensitivity and grace. The looming shadow of war creates a sense of urgency without overshadowing the film's core message about the enduring power of art, love, and the human spirit. The voice acting is superb, breathing life into each character and amplifying the emotional resonance of the film. The score is a masterpiece in itself, perfectly complementing the visuals and evoking a range of emotions. From the bustling cityscapes to the quiet moments of contemplation, the music elevates every scene. The voice acting is superb, breathing life into each character and amplifying the emotional resonance of the film. The score is a masterpiece in itself, perfectly complementing the visuals and evoking a range of emotions. From the bustling cityscapes to the quiet moments of contemplation, the music elevates every scene. The animation is a love letter to the art of hand-drawn artistry. Lush landscapes and vibrant cityscapes come alive with meticulous detail, while the characters move with a grace that captures the essence of life. But the true magic lies in the depiction of glassblowing itself. Each fiery dance with molten glass is a mesmerizing spectacle, a testament to the dedication of the animators and a celebration of this ancient craft."The Glassworker" transcends the boundaries of animation. It's a tapestry woven with breathtaking visuals, a poignant story, and a message that resonates deeply. This Pakistani masterpiece is a landmark achievement, not just for its country's film industry, but for animation as a whole. The story unfolds like a delicate work of blown glass, both beautiful and fragile. Vincent, our protagonist, struggles to find his place in a world threatened by war. His journey of self-discovery is interwoven with a love story that blossoms amidst hardship. The characters are richly drawn, each with their own dreams and fears, making their struggles all the more relatable.

This is Pakistan's first fully hand-drawn, independent animated feature, inspired by Studio Ghibli's 2D anime style. Apparently, it took them 10 years and essentially building an animation studio in Karachi to make this happen. There's also a documentary about the making of The Glassworker that I'd encourage you to watch. It's an incredible achievement, no doubt-but does that automatically make it a great film? Not really.

While I'm excited to see what this team does next, now that they've laid the groundwork, this movie itself is full of clichés. The plot, themes, and story are all very predictable, and there's nothing particularly memorable about it. The animation is underwhelming for the most part, with only a few standout moments. The dialogue is pretty basic, and the music, while fine, isn't exceptional-even though the director, Usman Riaz, is a musician.

What disappointed me most is how little Pakistani culture is represented in the movie-it feels like this story could've come from anywhere. Overall, the story of how this movie was made is far more inspiring than the movie itself. If you're moved by their dedication, I'd suggest giving it a watch to support this young, hardworking team-but don't expect to be wowed.

It indeed is the reward of loyal fan. Back in 2016 me and my bestie read a News article about The Glassworker, we got really excited about it cause we have always been mesmerized by ghibli studio's work and it was inspired by it.

Then fast forward in 2024 when it released we were already working successful job holders and it became the first movie we saw with our own money.

Never regretted a single moment about it it was all worth the wait.

THE CHARACTERS I THINK ARE INSPIRED BY GHIBLI STUDIO'S WORK THE MOST: JINN= Calcifer from the howl's moving castle Alieez= Arrietty from Arrietty Vincent= Seiji from whisper of the heart Rest of them 😁 I'll tell when I watch it next time.

The film's stunning visuals are reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's signature style and were a true highlight. The beautifully colored skies and serene glasswork scenes evoked a cozy, comforting atmosphere, much like Ghibli's works. I applaud the artists who brought this level of quality to Pakistani cinema. However, the storyline fell flat, feeling like a disjointed collection of ideas forced together. The inclusion of war felt unexplained and contrived. Characters like Vincent and Malik lacked clear context, and the South Asian elements, while appreciated, clashed with the inconsistent architecture and world-building.

Character development was nonexistent, and consequences were nonexistent. The initially intriguing jinn aspect failed to leave an impact. Watching the English dubbed version, I noticed the voice acting was good, but the voices didn't match the characters, detracting from the experience. Perhaps the Urdu version would be a better.

Did the 10/10 reviews watch the same film as I did? O.o The backgrounds were beautiful, the glasswork animation just stunning <3 But the story... the dialogues....the plot...... There was no coherent conflict to be resolved...... so many pointless scenes ( I say pointless because the story could go just as well without them, read Chekhov's Gun thingy on how not to add baseless stuff in your stories ) I wish I wasn't so hard on this. Please do take my review with a pinch of salt as I may just have overlooked some key parts of the story.....but 2 days of deliberation and I couldn't help but jot down my thoughts on this.

Again. 3/10 is only for the glasswork animations. So beautiful. But the story was such a bad ripoff of Ghibli-esque style that even the animation doesn't make the film worth it.

This is a visually stunning anime that stands out for its hand-drawn animation and unique setting which shows natural talent of pakistan I'm so glad they made entry into making anime. It's unique entry into the anime world, stands out for its distinct artistic and narrative qualities. This anime is so notable for its hand-drawn animation and ambitious storytelling.

In this anime the world-building is rich, with a keen attention to detail that immerses viewers in its unique setting. The use of light and color adds a magical quality to the scenes, reflecting the transformative power of glass art. I love this anime so much..💚

From Mano Animation Studios and director Usman Riaz comes 'The Glassworker,' a hand-drawn animated feature film set in a location loosely inspired by Pakistan. Set in a fictional European-inspired country on the brink of war, it follows young Vincent and his father Tomas; both are in charge of running the best glass workshop in the country, and fear an impending war, which they refuse to participate in, leading them to be labeled cowards. The story unfolds through flashbacks as present-day Vincent reads a letter from his girlfriend Aliz, a gifted violinist. These flashbacks reveal how they first met during a war and how their relationship evolved through it. Tomas's son, Vincent, is a skilled glassworker in Waterfront Town, homeschooled by his father while serving as an apprentice. His mother, also a talented glassmaker, passed on her gift to him. Vincent longed to go to school and play with the other town children, but his father dismissed these desires as distractions from his future as a glassmaker. The arrival in their town of an army colonel and his daughter Alliz, an expert young violinist, will shake up their reality and test their relationship. As tensions mount, Vincent and Alliz's relationship becomes an act of silent resistance, challenging the ideologies that surround them. This is an age when patriotism and social standing are considered more important than free thought and artistic pursuits! . This is an age when love simply doesn't matter!

"The Glassworker" is a coming-of-age romantic drama and the first hand-drawn animated feature film made in Pakistan. It tells the story of a young glassblower in training and his relationships with his father and a beautiful girl over the years, while his homeland is plagued by war and ongoing conflict with a neighboring country. In fact, although it's not surreptitiously mentioned, it seems to recall the perpetual conflict between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir region, a conflict that raged since the days of the two countries' independence and continues today. A moving and sensitive animated film, written and directed by Usman Riaz, a Pakistani composer and animator, with a style reminiscent of the films of the famous Studio Ghibli. It has participated in and won several international awards, including those at the Annecy and Sitges festivals.

It features a sensitive and enjoyable love story; however, this forbidden relationship between feuding families shakes our protagonist's reality and tests the relationship between father and son. Therefore, the deep love that develops between Vincent and Alliz is constantly challenged by the differing perspectives of their parents. And it features the original voices of Art Malik, Sacha Dhawan, Anjli Mohindra, and Tony Jayawardena.

The filmmakers use hand-drawn 2D animation that evokes character and environment designs based on the renowned Japanese studio, Studio Ghibli. This influence is evident, as Mano Animation Studio developed the film under the tutelage of Geoffrey Wexler, a former Studio Ghibli producer. The vibrant , brilliant colors enhance the love story, lending a poetic quality to the narrative. Meanwhile, the war sequences unfold with hypnotic intensity, depicting both brutality and hope. While "The Glassworker" has flaws, and failures such as underdeveloped character dynamics and a rushed ending, it remains a commendable and important animation experiment. This ambitious project contributes to elevating an often underappreciated art form.

In The Glassworker, the spirit of Studio Ghibli and its main representative, Hayao Miyazaki, is revived. Many of the latter's ideas and images are brought to life, recalling some frames from the classic films of that well-known mangaka and catoonist, such as Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky (1986), Ponyo on the Cliff (2008), Tales from Earthsea (2006), along with the masterpiece Spirited Away, (2001). However, it is especially influenced by Porco Rosso and The Wind Rises (2013), including the flying machines, giant aerial machines, and zeppelins that swarm throughout the film. This is an eminently personal work, the hard work of a man, Usman Riaz, in fact the author himself acts as screenwriter, composer, editor, director of photography, producer and director of this great film entitled "The Glassworker" (2024) which was Pakistan's official submission for the category 'Best Feature Film' at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025. Rating: 7/10. Better than average. Well worth watching.

A film that surprises in every way with its planning, focus, thought-provoking messages, and execution. It is Pakistan's first hand-drawn film and it is a marvel.

"The Glassworker" is a unique experience for fans of animation and anime in general, adding the essence of its style with a lot of drama, romance, chases, action, and war references. From my perspective, it achieves its goal, being very promising and standing out for that great production work. Director Usman Riaz makes an excellent debut, surprising with his great potential and talent that can improve considerably. For his first film, the result is more than satisfactory. His versatility in direction, writing, production, and more is worthy of applause.

The film has an interesting premise, offering solid narrative arguments, a sustainable script, and a dramatic and surprising panorama. The most notable aspect is its animation, which has a lot of the essence of Studio Ghibli films, but with its own personal touch to differentiate both styles. However, it does lack some minor adjustments in the drawings at times, but it doesn't detract from the overall experience; in fact, it's nice to see that great effort to stand out.

The color tones, the drawing lines, the movement sequences, the contrast of the figures, the play of shadows and lighting, the good sequences where the photography stands out, among others, are well depicted on the big screen. Without a doubt, it could have been better, but given that it is the first film from a little-known studio, it has its merit.

In my experience, I have enjoyed it a lot. I have connected with its characters and the role each one plays in the story. The plot is interesting and at times has good plot twists. The movie has an excellent duration and doesn't feel long; on the other hand, it is entertaining and keeps the viewer engaged. You can easily connect with several characters because of their ideals, motivations, and actions.

"The Glassworker" surprises with a reflective approach, covering extremely important themes that can impact you as long as you appreciate the depth of the messages and what the director tries to convey. Hatred, war, despair, rejection, ignorance, coincidences, true love, humility, selfishness, benevolence, experience, classism, love for what you do, morality, the importance of a well-told story, sentimental actions, and above all, the love for art and the bond between parents and children. Brilliant.

The soundtrack of this movie is incredible, adding to that connection with the viewer. It accompanies the scenes of drama and the emotions reflected by the protagonists. A formidable job.

It's not perfect, but it's very entertaining. It's worth giving it a chance, and if you're a fan of this type of film, you'll have a great time. Recommended.

Tomas Oliver is a real character!

7.5/10.

Watched this movie this morning trying not to think of the enormous gum infection my dentist caused last week. So much for doing your annual clean-ups. Anyways, initially I thought I was watching another great Ghibli movie, but then noticed the weird names and the costumes which didn't fit the typical Asian trademark. Quickly felt that Indian culture influence, and yeah... Pakistan/Karachi, not too far off then - also explains the great colour choices. The movie is beautifully made with an awesome cast of characters, colours, drama, music, backdrops (mattes) etc. The first hour I most definitely felt scoring this movie a 10/10, another perfect score. Not a 'War and Peace', but a 'War and Art' movie. Or maybe it should be 'The Art of War'. Unfortunately, the end of this movie felt like the producers had run out of budget and were forced to a quick ending to this masterpiece. Felt like there was at least 30 minutes missing which would have made this a perfect movie. It's sad, because I ended it up scoring it a 6 out of 10, and that's only because of the rushed and very unsatisfying ending. So yeah, think ultimately, the budget was an issue, but have high hopes seeing further productions coming from Mano Animations. The talent is most definitely there.

Snapshot: Audio-visually appealing, thematically messy. 4.7/10

This review merely describes my own experience with this movie; my semi-processed thoughts immediately after watching the English dub of "The Glassworker". I shall endeavour to keep it as spoiler-free as possible, so there might be some dancing around specifics.

I have fewer positives than negatives, so let's start with the positives.

+ Positives:

. Visuals: The Ghibli inspiration is evident throughout the film. Resulting in a beautiful art style with plenty of vivid, striking imagery. Kudos to the artists. If visuals are your primary concern, this movie might be worth your time. The only criticism here might be that it is inspired too directly by greater works, which dilutes it's own potential artistic individuality/flair.

The animation itself was a bit inconsistent. Some key scenes were beautiful drawn and fluidly animated (a few stood out as extremely good), most scenes were decently animated, but some scenes looked rather stilted and lacked frames (only a couple of minor scenes stood out as downright bad in this aspect).

. Audio: Overall good. Very few complaints here, if anything, the score was a bit overused where dialogue should have done more heavy-lifting. Nothing that stood out as stellar, but nothing notably poor either.

= Miditives:

. As far as plot-holes go, nothing significant stood out to me other than a scene where a character delivers a gift to another immediately after parachuting down from a plane, and it wasn't readily apparent to me where this gift was stored in transit. There might have been a backpack or something else I missed in viewing, and it doesn't really affect the plot or characters either, so this might amount to nothing.

. The English voice acting did not work for me. It often felt downright comical, detracting from the overall experience and hampering my suspension of disbelief.

This might be due to the awkward delivery of native Urdu words in a light British accent, which felt unnatural. Those select few words aside, the voice acting often lacked emotional punch precisely where the narrative demanded it most.

For people who don't speak Urdu, this might not be much of a problematic aspect.

. The characters are what I care about most in almost any story I read/watch. And here the characters are simply... average. Simple characters with simple motivations. There is only one scene where character motivations and actions seemed misaligned, and while supernatural forces are somewhat implied to be at play, the writing is a bit shallow there.

-Negatives:

. Easily the weakest aspect of the movie was the writing itself. While there was clear ambition to tackle heavy themes, the execution fell short, particularly in the second half. The setup was decent, but the payoff was lacking.

. The plot itself was just about par, with events happening to characters rather than being driven by them. Given the context of war and associated chaos, this is somewhat understandable, but the lack of cohesive flow between events made the slow pace feel even slower in the first half.

. Non-linear storytelling is challenging to execute well with the best of creative teams, and it's usage here was mediocre, and overall a subtraction from the enjoyment of the film. The movie could have done without it.

. Another thing the movie could have done without was the supernatural aspect of it, which was set-up repeatedly and emphasized, it's payoff(?) was simply absurd, and ended up harming the narrative rather than helping it. The one arm scene (which I suspect was supposed to be highly dramatic and an emotional low point) had me silently chuckling because of how absurd and contrived it was, simply undermining its intended effect.

. The application of basic narrative tools (like cause and effect, and set-up and payoff) was often poor. Scene transitions had a very "and then this happened" quality to them rather than a "and so this this happened" one.

. The ending, typically a time for resolving major plotlines and bringing the narrative together, was conveyed messily and felt farcical. In an attempt to subvert expectations and add a twist to the tale at the end, the narrative sort of fell apart and hampered my experience greatly.

When the end credits rolled, the reactions of a lot of people in my theatre were something along the lines of "Huh, what was that?" In fact, one of the people I watched it with simply missed the twist part of the ending completely because of how little focus the movie gave to it and how little a reaction the characters in the movie itself gave to the event.

The 'twist' was just not well delivered. It was confusing. It did not resonate.

. The film seemed overly ambitious in its thematic goals. The plot and themes felt tangentially connected but fundamentally misaligned, resulting in a bit of messy messaging, particularly at the end.

It felt like 90% of the first 90% of the movie was a straightforward story about a young romance amongst family drama and the difficulties of war. But then the movie decided it's central theme and ending message would be some nuanced notion of a tragedy and about how the creative value of art gives meaning to what limited lives humans have.

It was clunky, disjointed, and poorly conveyed.

Overall:

My overall score:

. 4.7

I'm a picky viewer, and negatives stand out to me much very easily. For reference here are the overall scores of three others I watched the movie with:

. 8.0/10

. 9.2/10

. 7.0/10.

Glassworker is nothing short of a cinematic marvel, marking a historic milestone in Pakistani cinema. As the nation's premier hand-drawn 2D animated film, it not only represents a monumental achievement in animation but also stands as a testament to the dedication and vision of its creators.

The film's creation process is as compelling as its story. Spanning an impressive decade, the meticulous hand-drawn animation captures the essence of classical artistry with a contemporary twist. Each frame is a work of art in itself, radiating a sense of timelessness and passion. The labor of love is evident in the fluid animation and intricate details that bring the fantastical world of Glassworker to life.

First Pakistani Ghibli-inspired hand-drawn animation film in which mainly one thing was missing: Pakistan.

Naming: Main characters' names are western, while some other characters have desi names. Even places have non-desi names.

You can't tell if it's a Pakistani origin film or something made purely to grab western attention, or director doesn't know how things actually are, and how do they work in Pakistan.

Positive side: The visuals, and the animation was very good. They characters were well made.

The animation is good for a first project and the objects and backgrounds were great but the character design needed work.

The characters themselves were shallow.

The only standout thing about the protag was that he was a glassworker and the FMC was a violinist with a military family.

The rest were stereotypical friends, rivals and family.

There is virtually no plot to speak of and develops randomly. The whole story is a mess and the ending was the cherry on top of this dumpster fire of a story.

People liked the music but it isnt too memorable since I dont even remember it.

Overall, the visuals were pretty good but everything else was not good.

Visuals arent everything and since this is not an action movie, the plot which is the substance just isnt there.

The Glassworker is a beautifully animated piece of cinema that immediately blew me away from its first reveal about 7 years ago. From the painstaking wait to watching it in the cinema, I was in love from start to finish. It is the story of a lowly glassworker Vincent, who is passionate in his artform to become an artist whose main inspiration came from his friendship with Aliz, the daughter of a war general. The plot doesn't only revolve around any main idea but combines the chaos of war with the complex relationship that hinders the two. Even at its low points, the movie saves itself because of its amazingly detailed animation and great voice-acting cast. The ending left me in a twist in the ordinary Ghibli fashion where most of the movie's inspiration is from. Overall, I'm thoroughly amazed and excited to see the new wave of animation movies coming from Pakistan!

PROS:

• Great use of Symbolism and story.

• Beautifully detailed animation.

• Passion-driven piece of cinema.

CONS:

• Would've loved the show of actual Pakistani culture and environment in the story which doesn't mess up the story.