Former Disney, Illumination Exec Nabil Kazi Joins ‘The Glassworker’ Distributor Watermelon Pictures

Watermelon Pictures, the Chicago-based distributor behind the U.S. release of Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature, The Glassworker, has appointed veteran executive Nabil Kazi as executive VP of marketing and brand development.

As reported by Deadline, Kazi’s role will center on expanding the company’s global brand and marketing reach and overseeing the development of original projects at the company.

His previous experience includes leadership positions at The Walt Disney Company, 20th Century Fox, and Illumination Entertainment, where he oversaw major animated franchises such as The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, Despicable Me 3, Toy Story, and Tangled. It stands to reason that, given Nabil’s background, The Glassworker won’t be Watermelon’s last venture into feature animation.

Founded in 2024 by siblings Hamza and Badie Ali, Watermelon Pictures – whose name hints at its Palestinian roots – focuses on amplifying underrepresented voices and culturally resonant storytelling. While most of its catalog is live-action fare, the company made waves when it acquired U.S. distribution rights to Usman Riaz’s The Glassworker, a 2D feature from Pakistan’s Mano Animation Studios, which enjoyed a brilliant festival run and tremendous online buzz.

With Kazi’s appointment, Watermelon aims to build on the momentum of The Glassworker and position itself as a rising force in global independent animation, bridging commercial expertise with the kind of craftsmanship and emotion that define the medium’s most enduring works.