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Watermelon Pictures has acquired the US distribution rights for Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film, The Glassworker, which was also Pakistan’s official submission for Best International Feature and Best Animated Feature to the Academy Awards.

The deal was finalised at the Cannes Film Festival, with negotiations by Hamza Ali on behalf of Watermelon Pictures and Hélène Espeisse for Charades, who are representing the movie at this year’s Marché du Film (Cannes Film Market), Deadline reported.

“The Glassworker is a breathtaking, emotional story that will resonate deeply with audiences of all ages. We are honoured to bring this cinematic gem to US theatres,” said Hamza, co-founder of Watermelon Pictures.

Khizer Riaz, the film’s producer, said, “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.”

Written and directed by Usman Riaz, and made under the banner of his studio Mano Animation, The Glassworker was a film years in the making. It released in Pakistan on July 26, 2024, years after it was first announced.

Set in a war-torn country, it tells the story of a young glassworker named Vincent Oliver who develops a friendship with violin prodigy Alliz Amano. As they grow up amidst conflict and personal turmoil, they struggle to navigate their dreams, relationships, and the impact of the war on their lives.

Film production and distribution company Watermelon Pictures was launched in April, 2024 by brothers Hamza and Badie Ali, with model and activist Alana Hadid serving as the creative director, Deadline reported.

“We aim to entertain audiences and enrich the cultural landscape by promoting stories that reflect the perspectives and experiences of Palestinians as well as other marginalised groups around the world,” the company’s website detailed.

Watermelon Pictures also launched Watermelon+, a new film streaming platform, to bring Palestinian perspectives to a global audience, its founders confirmed on Thursday.

Watermelon+ was launched at the Cannes Film Festival, as more than 100 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza on Thursday. At least 80 died on Wednesday.

“Unless we get (Palestinian) voices out there, nothing’s going to change,” said Badie.

The platform offers around 60 films, including several set in Gaza.