Usman Riaz is the director of The Glassworker and founder of Mano Animation Studios. A filmmaker, artist, composer and TED Senior Fellow, he is best known for leading Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature film, a project developed over more than a decade.

The Glassworker premiered in competition at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival and also screened at the Shanghai International Film Festival and Hiroshima Animation Season. The film was Pakistan’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards and qualified for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category.

At SACC, Usman will share the making of The Glassworker in “Drawing a Dream,” offering insights into the creative process behind building a hand-drawn animated feature from Pakistan.