Watermelon Pictures Acquires U.S. Rights For Pakistani Animation ‘The Glassworker’

EXCLUSIVE: Watermelon Pictures has obtained U.S. distribution rights to The Glassworker, the debut characteristic from Pakistani director Usman Riaz, which used to be Pakistan’s reliable submission for Best International Feature and Best Animated Feature to the 97th Academy Awards.

The deal used to be closed all the way through Cannes and negotiated through Hamza Ali for Watermelon Pictures and Hélène Espeisse on behalf of Charades, which is representing the movie at this yr’s Marché Du Film.

The Glassworker is a romantic, coming-of-age drama—and Pakistan’s first-ever hand-drawn animated characteristic. Set in a fictional, European-inspired nation on the point of struggle, the movie follows Vincent, a tender glassblower, and his father Tomas, whose non violent lifestyles is disrupted through the coming of an army colonel and his daughter Alliz, a talented violinist. As tensions escalate, Vincent and Alliz’s dating turns into a quiet act of resistance, difficult the ideologies round them.

“The Glassworker is a breathtaking, emotional story that will resonate deeply with audiences of all ages. We are honored to bring this cinematic gem to U.S. theaters,” mentioned Watermelon Pictures Co-Founder Hamza Ali.

Film manufacturing and distribution corporate Watermelon Pictures used to be introduced in April, 2024 through brothers Hamza Ali and Badie Ali in April, 2024, with Alana Hadid as Creative Director. Rooted in Palestinian tradition and creativity, its wider remit  is to magnify the voices of underrepresented filmmakers around the globe.

It has had a hectic a primary yr for the corporate with first acquisitions and releases together with Oscar shortlisted From Ground Zero, which used to be Palestine’s reliable access to the 97th Academy Awards, in addition to The Encampments.

“We are thrilled that The Glassworker will be released theatrically in the United States by Watermelon Pictures. Their rapid growth and recent string of successful, meaningful films make them the perfect partner to bring our work to American audiences. We couldn’t be more excited,” mentioned the movie’s manufacturer Khizer Riaz.