THE GLASSWORKER

Pakistan, 2024, 98 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Art Malik, Sacha Dhawan, Anjli Mohindra, Tony Jayawardena, Teresa Gallagher.

Directed by Usman Riaz.

The Glassworker is the first animated film from Pakistan. And it has hand painted animation rather than CGI. And, it has a debt to the styles of Japanese anime.

The film focuses on a father and son, the father and expert class blower, instructing his son, homeschooling, confidence in his son’s talent and artistic imagination, derived from his now deceased mother. So, many beautiful sequences of glass blowing, glassmaking, finished products.

The young son, Vincent, is spurned by the local boys, encounters a young girl who comes into his shop, the various ups and downs of the relationship, especially with the theme of war, rather vividly portrayed by the animation, Vincent’s father a pacifist, looked down on by the militant population, admiring the general in charge. The young girl emerging as his daughter.

Over the years, friendship, misunderstandings, the daughter a talented violinist, inviting Vincent to her recital but his being prevented entry by prejudiced guards. Later, the adult Vincent has an exhibition of his glass artwork in the city – and an imaginative meeting again with his lost love.

The Director, Usman Riaz, co-wrote the screenplay and also composed the quietly plaintiff score.

1. Title, audience fascination with glassblowing, the process, the quality of the sand (and the beach nearby), the fire, the blowing, the moulding, the cover? The finished products and their beauty?
2. The style of the animation, and drawings, the different characters, the settings, the home and the glassblowing, town, the buildings, the cliff and the sea, the cave? The tone and melodies and orchestrations of the score?
3. The vividness of the war sequences, the military, parades, fighting, the plains, the bombs, the devastation, the fires?
4. Thomas Oliver, the glassblower, the story of meeting his wife, her talent, her death? Living with his son, Vincent, a young boy, learning the trade, his skills, his imagination, the various objects created? The bond between father and son,, keeping him at home, boy wanting to be at school, is ridiculed by the others? The years passing, the talent?
5. The moving between times, the adult Vincent, relationship with his father, his father support, the plan for the exposition, the planning of the program?
6. The encounter with Alliz, in the shop, his dropping the flower, her saving it, the beginning of the bond between them, her mother taking her away, the military parade, and the carriage, her father the military commander? A character, going to the boarding school, her talent with the violin, the fellow student carrying the instrument everywhere, the boys and their attention? Her skill at playing, the teachers?
7. The war, the parade, Thomas and his shouting, his pacifism, reputation the town, Vincent suffering? The confrontation, the threats to take Vincent away, his collaborating with the glassware for the war effort, the bombardments? Father and son working together? Vincent, a crisis, his emotions, tampering with the products, the lowering of the chests to the shore, his father’s reaction, lifting they carton, losing his arm? The repercussions for Vincent?
8. Later, the meetings with Alliz, he showing her the glassblowing, his father ordering her out? The meetings, the conversations, the gift, Vincent’s comment that she needed inspiration for her out?
9. Allize and her success, the recital, the invitation, Vincent dressing up, being held up by the prejudiced guard, losing the invitation, not being admitted, on the roof, hearing her performance? In honour of her father, his being rescued, the flashbacks to the military action, the young man and his heroics, the father being saved, kissing the young man, Vincent upset?
10. The adult Vincent, his exposition, the quality of the artwork, his father speech, the admiration of the crowds?
11. The finale, the style, the aspects of magical realism and the Magic presence? The beach, Alliz and her reappearance?