Despite its unlikely background, its story being brought to life by Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis, Flow (2024) managed to sweep away many of this year’s awards, including Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film 2025 and a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film 2025, leaving giant animation studios Pixar with “Inside Out 2” (2024) and Dreamworks with “The Wild Robot” (2024) in the dust. It’s the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award, and despite its considerably lower budget and having been realized on a free online software, it captured the hearts of millions worldwide.
The main plot of the movie captures the perilous adventure of a cat in the context of a Genesis-like flood, when it must overcome its aversion to water and being surrounded by highly social and unlikely animal friends to ensure their survival. It’s a film about solidarity in the face of imminent disaster and the power unity and empathy hold.
Due to all characters being unable to speak, a great amount of screen time is used to study the stark personality differences of the even more different interacting species. This is acquired through a minutely detailed attention to movement and body language from the animators.
Despite the lack of dialogue, there is no time for boredom in its duration. The story is presented through the lens of a metaphorical camera, that seamlessly glides between shots and mimics the dynamic feel of a live action movie. Scenes are constructed with an architectural precision that I can only recall seeing in Tintin (2011), while abandoning the over-the-top animation style we usually see nowadays. Its strength lies in its efficiency, inviting the eye to see, understand and embrace simplicity, but at the same time striking every chord through its powerful screenplay.
The score is used lightly, often as an additional layer to the creation of a feeling for the reveal of a new subliminal truth, be it insignificance in the face of nature’s petrifying beauty and power, the imperative need of unity despite differences and the evanescent rule and control of mankind over the world.
I truly hope this Academy Award win will pave the way for more such impacting animations to emerge, from directors that place the importance of storytelling above extravagant style, of ideas and creativity above entertainment, and I encourage all audiences to watch it.
Written by Trandafir Diana-Cosmina — 10/3/2025