Title – Flow (2024) 

Director – Gints Zilbalodis (Away) 

Cast – N/A

Plot – A loner cat and a collection of assorted animals must learn to work together should they wish to survive a great flood that threatens their homes and the wider world they inhabit.  

Review by Eddie on 17/02/2025

And here it is ladies and gentleman, the years most surprising yet deserving (soon to be?) Oscar winner! 

An independent dialogue-free animated film from Latvia produced for $3million dollars and made entirely on the free software program Blender, one wouldn’t be considered crazy in thinking that Flow might not have been one of the success stories of 2024. 

Proving that where you come from or how you came to be in the film world matters very little, creator Gints Zilbalodis labour of love has become a critical and audience smash hit and a Golden Globe winning feature that has overcome the likes of animation behemoths Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot for its time in the awards spotlight is one of the most inspiring underdog stories of recent cinematic history. 

A haunting, mesmerising, emotionally engaging and importantly entirely unique animated fantasy, Flow takes place in an unknown time and in a world that could be ours or somewhere else entirely as we follow a lonesome cat on a journey alongside a ragtag collection of other animals that have all had to band together to survive a vicious flood that threatens their safety and future if they don’t utilise their wits and skillsets. 

It’s a simplistic affair and one that can be enjoyed by the very young, the very old and all those in between and without a single ounce of spoken dialogue, Flow becomes a truly universal tale that overcomes any real or perceived barriers as we are transported by Zilbalodis’s creative vision, that also comes in the form of a fantastic soundtrack he helped bring to life, transporting us on a wonderful journey that will enrich any viewers willing to be swept away by it. 

With many elements that have been staples or components of animated adventures since the dawn of the medium, there’s much of Flow that feels familiar on a surface level but Zilbalodis ensures that his creative vision is one that feels fresh, new and inspired and while it shares a similar feeling and vibe to recent hit videogame Stray, Flow really is it’s own beast and walks its own beast, making it easy to see why it has managed to strike such a chord across the globe in recent times and likely in the years ahead where its discovered by a wider audience utilising the home video/streaming marketplace. 

Even if animation isn’t usually your go to medium or even if you think you’ve seen this story told before, Flow is a film that demands a viewing, at a brisk and baggage free 80 minute run time, this flawed yet utterly enriching and captivating experience is one you won’t soon forget. 

Final Say – 

A stunningly crafted and heartfelt independent offering that is deserving of its high praise and awards attention, Flow is a special little film with a great big heart and one that catapults (pun intended) its creator into the spotlight in a huge away. 

4 buoys out of 5