With the purity and force of great animated storytelling, Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis has created a heart-stirring narrative in his second feature, Flow. This white-knuckle survival adventure – told without any dialogue – narrates the story of a cat, which evolves from self-preservation to companionship with a delightful variety of other species, in a world teetering towards destruction.
Acquired by Sideshow and Janus Films for North America at Cannes, Flow is reminiscent of Zilbalodis' applauded 2019 debut, Away. Both silent films owe their artistic style to animation legend, Hayao Miyazaki. The film blends classic cartoon characters with breathtaking photo-realistic environments, creating a mesmerizing world full of light, color, and imminent dangers.
The protagonist is a skinny gray cat, a small creature navigating a terrifyingly huge forest, adorned with bizarre large-scale cat sculptures – signs of a vanished human life. After escaping a group of pursuing dogs, the cat discovers the source of these sculptures in an isolated wood carver’s workshop.
The narrative then takes the cat – and the viewer – along a thrilling, propulsive journey, filled with riveting encounters, and emotionally touching moments. As the cat explores this new water world, it crosses paths with a varied group of animals, and in the process, develops a sense of community – a far cry from its initial aloofness.
The beauty of this film lies in its portrayal of friendship and mutual trust in a unique, unforced narrative that resonates with children and adults alike. Director Zilbalodis, along with director of Animation Léo Silly-Pélissier, crafts a visually stunning world laden with charm, individuality, soulfulness, and breathtaking beauty.
The visual aesthetic and attention to character movement in Flow is remarkable, creating a hand-crafted feel despite being technically superior. Complementing the narrative are beautiful passages of melodies and stirring strings by composers Zilbalodis and Rihards Zal. Altogether, Flow is a deeply moving animated feature, and a testament to Zilbalodis' unique and remarkable talent in the animation landscape.
