A lo-fi animated movie from Latvia about a black cat navigating a post-apocalyptic world has stunned the film world after being nominated for two Oscars.
Widely seen as being an outside contender, the film ‘Flow’ (Latvian: Straume) by indie director Gints Zilbalodis beat off stiff competition to be put forward for both Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature Film.
Created on a $3.6 million budget, and using free open-source software, the heartwarming story follows a nameless black cat struggling to survive in a world submerged by a catastrophic flood, devoid of humans.
Along the journey, the feline main character teams up with a group of animal companions, including a playful Labrador, a cheerful capybara, a weary secretary bird, and an eccentric lemur.
In a refreshing departure from mainstream animation, Zilbalodis avoids the Disney-esque habit of anthropomorphizing his characters and instead replaces words with haunting visuals and its quietly profound message.
She added that the film’s earlier festival success, most notably in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard category, was a sign that Flow could be a dark horse in this year’s Oscar race.
“For me, the favorite is Flow for the way the cat is dealing with the crisis and catastrophe,” she said.
The Oscars will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on March 2, 2025.
Created on a $3.6 million budget, and using free open-source software, the heartwarming story follows a nameless black cat struggling to survive in a world submerged by a catastrophic flood, devoid of humans.
Along the journey, the feline main character teams up with a group of animal companions, including a playful Labrador, a cheerful capybara, a weary secretary bird, and an eccentric lemur.
In a refreshing departure from mainstream animation, Zilbalodis avoids the Disney-esque habit of anthropomorphizing his characters and instead replaces words with haunting visuals and its quietly profound message.
She added that the film’s earlier festival success, most notably in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard category, was a sign that Flow could be a dark horse in this year’s Oscar race.
“For me, the favorite is Flow for the way the cat is dealing with the crisis and catastrophe,” she said.
The Oscars will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on March 2, 2025.
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