How Flow, a Latvian Animated Movie with No Dialogue, Is Upending the Awards Race: The Story Is 'Universal' (Exclusive)

FlowLatvian wordless adventure story about a cat that survives a fantastical flood, has caused quite a storm this awards season.

The low-key indie turned the animated feature race on its head, going head-to-head with the likes of Inside out 2, Moana 2 and Wild robot. Not only did it beat out those Hollywood heavyweights for the National Board of Review Award and was nominated for the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Awards in that category, but Latvia was shortlisted for this year’s Oscar for Best International Feature Film.

“No other Latvian film has had this kind of reach at festivals or in distribution,” director and co-writer Gints Zilbalodis tells PEOPLE. “So we’re very happy here in Latvia to be noticed for this.”

Critically acclaimed for its simple story of animals banding together to survive the apocalypse, Flow it is known for not featuring the chatty cartoon creatures that audiences may be used to. Instead, without dialogue, it captures the behavior of the feline protagonist and his new allies with a precision that would seem documentary were it not for the beautiful, dreamy animation.

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“Because there’s no dialogue, it makes it more universal,” Zilbalodis, 31, says of the film’s appeal. “It really transcends all cultural boundaries, which means that everyone can understand it. I think that’s something really great about animation, that almost everyone can understand it.”

‘Flow’.

Distribution of UFOs

The sources of the script, which he wrote together with Matīss Kaža, were personal for Zilbalodis, whose animated escape in 2019. Far was a short film about a cat’s fear of water. “I wanted to tell the story of how I learn to cooperate and how to trust others,” says Fr Flow. “I thought a cat would be a great character for this experience [and] a good starting point for his character arc. So I revisited that earlier premise and added a bunch more characters.”

These include a tasteless retriever, a wayward capybara, a greedy lemur and a mysterious bird, as well as glimpses of more fantastical creatures. “I really want to put you in the cat’s point of view and let you experience the world through the cat’s eyes,” explains Zilbalodis.

“For me, movies are more like music, where it’s actually about emotions, rather than explaining things,” he adds. “First and foremost, I want to create an emotional experience, which is more important to me than sending a message.”

Gints Zilbalodis at the premiere of ‘Flow’ at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2024.

Brian de Rivera Simon/Getty

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Zilbalodis was the first to guess Flow could take over Hollywood’s awards season when it was selected for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival,” which “almost never selects animated films,” notes. “After that, everything exploded.”

As Latvia competes in the animated feature race against Disney, DreamWorks and similar major studios, Zilbalodis says “there’s room for both” types of films. “I’m really glad these independent films are in the conversation. It’s kind of hard to compete with the big guys! But it’s really exciting.”

‘Flow’.

Distribution of UFOs

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Also exciting: meeting his heroes like George Lucas at film festivals. Success from Flow is “really out of my hands right now,” Zilbalodis says as she prepares for the Globes, Critics Choice, Spirit Awards and more. “With animation you can control everything, you can create the worlds you imagine and control every expression of the characters. When it’s over, it’s like I’m in this storm trying to stay afloat.”

Flow it’s in theaters now.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education