Though visually striking, Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature, The Glassworker, owes a little too much to Studio Ghibli.
The Glassworker, Usman Riaz’s directorial debut and Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature film, is an accomplishment ten years in the making. Visually, the film is a breath of fresh air as its 2D animation is in stark contrast to the 3D animation preferred by most studios these days. The Glassworker has earned both aesthetic and thematic comparisons to Studio Ghibli, the iconic Japanese animation studio responsible for some of the best animated films ever made. While its cozy waterfront setting and anti-war messaging certainly do recall classics like Howl’s Moving Castle, the film struggles with the narrative cohesion and character development that Ghibli spent decades mastering.
The Glassworker follows Tomas and Vincent Oliver (Art Malik and Sacha Dhawan), a father and son who operate the glassworks in the town of Waterfront, as their previously peaceful lives are disrupted by a war that threatens to destroy everything in its path. With the war comes the Amano family: Colonel Amano (Tony Jayawardena), his wife Nadia (Mina Anwar), and their daughter Alliz (Anjli Mohindra). Alliz, a prodigy at the violin, bonds with Vincent over their shared love for the arts and the two become friends. As the war rages on, Vincent and Alliz are forced to reckon with their feelings for each other as well as their individual core beliefs.
A feast for the eyes and ears.
Photo Credit: Mano Animation Studios
The visuals and score of The Glassworker are its greatest strengths, and where the film most earns its comparisons to Studio Ghibli. Like Ghibli animator Hayao Miyazaki, Riaz highlights the beauty in the mundane and makes everyday life seem magical. Small details are lovingly animated to make the world feel more real and lived in. Riaz also seems to share Miyazaki’s affinity for nature, highlighting Waterfront’s natural resources and lush landscapes.
The score, composed by Carmine Di Florio, is impactful without feeling overpowering. A memorable score is another Ghibli staple, and this score certainly measures up. These similarities to Ghibli add a nostalgic quality to the viewing experience.
A glass half empty.
Photo Credit: Mano Animation Studios
The writing is where this film falters, with shallow characterization and a half-baked supernatural subplot bogging down an otherwise promising story. The relationship between Vincent and Alliz is especially underwritten, and the poor pacing present throughout the film worsens the problem. The supernatural subplot is not woven into the main story consistently enough to feel like a worthy addition to the film, and its inclusion in the third act feels especially abrupt.
The anti-war themes are certainly welcome, but this messaging ultimately ends up feeling as underdeveloped as everything else. The characters meant to espouse these anti-war sentiments, Vincent and especially his father Tomas, are afforded no depth to their ideology. Similarly, Colonel Amano’s commitment to warfare is never properly examined. As a result, the film is left only with the aesthetics of an ideology rather than a coherent message.
The bottom line.
Despite its flaws, The Glassworker undoubtedly marks a turning point in Pakistani animation and has introduced exciting new creative voices through its debut. There is a sense of relief watching a film inspired by Ghibli that was drawn by real artists as opposed to hollow recreations of the Ghibli art style generated by AI, a social media trend that felt unrelentingly bleak as artists are already suffering due to the prevalence of AI. Trends like that highlight the importance of supporting real artists. Fans of hand-drawn animation should keep their eyes on Riaz and Mano Animation Studios.
The Glassworker is now playing in select theaters. Watch the trailer here.
Images courtesy of Mano Animation Studios. Read more articles by Isabella Cantillano-Sanchez here.
REVIEW RATING
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The Glassworker - 5/10
5/10
