Mano’s presentation not only made the cut but received a standing ovation afterwards. It impressed various publications outside Pakistan to follow its development as a possibly meaningful and beautiful hand-drawn animated film coming out of the dangerous (hyperbole) Karachi, Pakistan.

An inside look into Mano Animation Studios, Pakistan's first hand-drawn animation studio as it continues to work on its first feature, The Glassworker, set for a 2023 release.

Usman Riaz unleashed his creativity and imagination and answered questions about his ambitious film, an epic anti-war film that, in the words of its producer, recalls the romanticism of the Golden Globe winner Doctor Zhivago and where patriotism confronts free-thinking, artistic creation, and love.