Animated Film "Flow" Set for U.S. Release in Time for Awards Season

The animated film Flow is scheduled to release in the United States on November 22nd. The movie tells the story of a cat’s journey to find safety after a devastating flood. Flow is directed by Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis and has already earned critical acclaim on the international film festival circuit.

The movie follows a brave cat whose life is upended when a major flood hits. Accompanied by other animals like a capybara, lemur, bird, and dog, the cat boards a boat to search for dry land. Flow uses no dialogue and focuses on themes of trust between the animals and their resilience during the disaster.

Flow has been selected as Latvia’s submission for the Academy Award’s Best International Feature category. The movie could potentially earn nominations in the animated film and documentary categories as well, similar to last year’s nominee Flee. Variety chief critic Peter Debruge called Flow “hypnotic” and praised its unique animation style.

Flow director Gints Zilbalodis composed the movie’s score and co-wrote the screenplay with Matiss Kaza. The production team also includes Zilbalodis, Kaza, Ron Dyens, and Gregory Zalcman as producers. This marks a career milestone for Zilbalodis, who began directing with his feature debut Away at age 24. Away received acclaim and an Annie Award nomination, setting the stage for Flow.

In addition to its U.S. release, Flow will distribute in several European markets like Benelux and France starting in October. As the film prepares for American audiences, industry insiders will watch to see if it earns nominations in the animated and international feature categories at the Academy Awards. Flow’s critical success and innovative animation make it a strong potential contender this awards season.