EXCLUSIVE: The Gotham Group has signed Usman Riaz, the director, animator and co-composer of the animated feature The Glassworker, which has been selected as Pakistan’s official entry for Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars and is vying for an animated feature nomination, as well.

World premiering at Annecy, The Glassworker is the most ambitious project to date for Riaz, an artist, animator, filmmaker and composer who founded Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animation studio, Mano Animation Studios. The film follows young Vincent and his father Tomas, who run the finest glass workshop in the country and find their lives upended by an impending war in which they want no part. The arrival in their town of an army colonel and his young, talented violinist daughter shakes their reality and tests the relationship between father and son.

Riaz directed the film, marking his feature debut, from a script by Moya O’Shea, which is based on a story the two conceived together. The project, marking Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature, was released in the country in July. Khizer Riaz and Manuel Cristóbal served as its producers.

A Berklee College of Music scholarship recipient and the youngest TED Senior Fellow ever, Riaz has presented at multiple TED Conferences around the world, sharing his artistic journey with global audiences. Previously, he’s written, directed and scored short films such as Ruckus and The Waves, which was an official selection of the New York City Independent Film Festival. His albums Flashes & Sparks and Circus in the Sky were released by EMI Pakistan.

Riaz has strived to elevate Pakistan’s role in the arts, fostering local talent and promoting cultural exchange. Based in the city of Karachi, he told Deadline, “I am honored and grateful and looking forward to working with the talented people at The Gotham Group.”

Stated, Peter McHugh, Partner at The Gotham Group, “We are thrilled to welcome Usman to our family of visionary storytellers. His groundbreaking work on The Glassworker showcases his remarkable talent, and his journey from TED Fellow to celebrated filmmaker highlights his exceptional creativity and passion. We are excited to support him in sharing his incredible stories with the world.”