Kidwai ’27 Helps Animate Oscar Submission ‘The Glassworker’

At just 17 years old, Sarim Kidwai ’27 found himself at the beginning of a unique journey, diving into the world of hand-drawn animation with his work as an animator on the film The Glassworker. 

The Glassworker follows the lives of a young glassblower and a violin prodigy as they navigate friendship, love, and the hardships of growing up in a war-torn country. Production started on the film in 2014, and now, the film is Pakistan’s submission for the Best International Film category at the Oscars.

“A big part of this project was to show that Pakistan has talent too,” Kidwai said. “People don’t usually think of Pakistan… about its film or animation industry, so it’s so important to bring that talent to the world.”

Growing up in Karachi, Pakistan, Kidwai found himself at a crossroads, feeling both nurtured in his creativity, yet constrained by the limited opportunities for artistic careers in his hometown.

“The art scene there is very suppressed, so I didn’t really have a lot of examples of people who were in the creative profession that I could point to and say, ‘Hey, I want to do that,’” said Kidwai. “I just knew at that point that I was a creative kid, and I was very good at drawing. I was always encouraged by my teachers, my parents and everyone in my family, but I couldn’t really see a path, so that confused me.”

It wasn’t until his junior year of high school, when his art teacher introduced him to Usman Riaz, founder and director of Mano Animation Studios, that a path began to emerge. That meeting ultimately leading to a summer internship and later, a role as an animator for The Glassworker.

“Back then, [Mano] were not big at all—they were just a few people in a room trying to figure out how to make hand-drawn animation,” said Kidwai. “They were in their mid-20s, and Usman was only 23 or 24. Something clicked in my mind—I saw these people who were a bit older than me, navigating the same murky landscape. There wasn’t an animation industry there, so it gave me a bit of encouragement and a sense of safety,” he said.

Breaking into the international market is challenging for productions from Pakistan. In Pakistan, the majority of popular content consists of mass-produced drama series and soap operas, which follow similar storylines season after season. As a result, a project like The Glassworker—a classically made hand-drawn animated film with an original narrative—was a substantial risk, as it defied the conventional approach in Pakistan and aimed for a broader, international appeal.

Kidwai’s faith in his team extended beyond the filmmaking itself. Mariam Riaz Paracha, MA ‘17, MFA ‘24, who serves as Assistant Director at Mano Animation Studios and co-directed The Glassworker, encouraged him to attend Emerson College. 

“I trusted her,’” said Kidwai. “They were all my mentors and it was incredibly helpful to see people who had already traveled the path I was considering, proving that it was possible to succeed.” 

Kidwai emphasized that one of the main reasons he chose to attend Emerson was its prolific network of talented creators. 

“Emerson has this remarkable ability to attract the best,” he said. “When these students graduate, they go on to achieve amazing things, and they often stay involved to help cultivate the next generation. It creates a continuous cycle of positive feedback and collaboration.”

A Business of Creative Enterprises major, Kidwai says the program fits his future goals. 

“I imagine I would be doing a bunch of different things later on when I graduate, and so far, I believe BCE is a perfect place to explore that.”

Now entering his second semester at Emerson, Kidwai is eager to leave his own imprint on the Emerson community.

“I think I bring a unique creative perspective, and I’m curious to see who resonates with it and how we can mutually learn from one another,” he shared. “I’m excited to see those connections forming and am excited to discover where they might lead.”