animation, Cannes Film Festival, film festivals, Flow, Gints Zilbalodis, movies, reviews, TIFF, Toronto International Film Festival
November 10, 2024
by Carla Hay
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
Culture Representation: Taking place in an unnamed part of Earth, animated film “Flow” features a various animals and no speaking.
Culture Clash: A group of different animals end up working together to survive an apocalypse.
Culture Audience: “Flow” will appeal mainly to people who are interested in watching unique anmated films about animals.
“Flow” is one of the best animated films of the year. In this emotionally moving and gorgeously filmed story that has no speaking, various animals find themselves surviving an apocalypse together. It’s impressive for an animated film to have no spoken words and yet convey so much.
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis (who co-wrote the screenplay with Matiss Kaza), “Flow” is Latvia’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film. “Flow” had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and its Canadian premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The animal characters in this movie do not have names. There are also no humans in the movie, which takes place in an unnamed part of Earth.
The origins of this apocalypse is never explained, but it has caused massive flooding. During the course of a story, a cat, capybara, a lemur, a secretarybird, and a dog navigate a boat while looking for dry land and learn to rely on each other. There are also some other animals in the movie, including a whale, which has one of the best scenes in “Flow.”
“Flow” might sound like it has a very simple plot. However, this is a movie of substance that can’t be described without revealing how the story unfolds. “Flow” is a movie that has to be experienced by watching it to fully understand how special it is.
One of the best things about “Flow” is how it beautifully depicts many of the nature scenes. Scenes in the woods and underwater have an authentic quality that will make viewers feel fully immersed. There are also some stunning-looking outdoor scenes (such as when the cat encounters a giant cat statue) that can be considered among the visual highlights.
Although there is no talking in “Flow,” the animals show distinct personalities and characteristics. The cat is intelligent and resourceful. The dog (a Labrador retriever that is first seen with a pack of other dogs) is playful and affectionate. The lemur is a bit of a pack rat that likes to collect abandoned trinkets. The capybara is laid-back and friendly. The secretarybird seems to be an enemy at first but ends up being a protective friend.
There are a few things that aren’t realistic, such as a group of lemurs acting more like humans than the other animals. An amusing scene shows how the somewhat-vain lemurs do when they discover a mirror. However, the cat (who is the main protagonist) and most of the other animals are portrayed very realistically. In a world where almost all animated films about animals have them talking like humans, it’s refreshing to see an animated film that shows and respects animals for how they really are.
Sideshow/Janus Films will release “Flow” in select U.S. cinemas on November 22, 2024. The movie was released in Latvia on August 28, 2024.