Flow, an animated feature from Latvia, won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards on Sunday. The film, directed by Gints Zilbalodis, became the first from Latvia to receive a nomination and a win in this category.
The story follows a cat searching for safety after a flood. Made using open-source software Blender, Flow was produced on a $3.4 million budget, setting it apart from the larger studio productions in the category.
Accepting the award, Zilbalodis addressed the audience. “I’m really moved by the warm response our film has had, and I hope that doors will continue to open for independent animation filmmakers around the world,” he said. “We’re all in the same boat and must find ways to work together.”
The film competed against The Wild Robot, Inside Out 2, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and Memoir of a Snail. The win marks the third year in a row that an independent production has taken this category, following The Boy and the Heron and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
Zilbalodis started work on Flow in 2019. In interviews, he spoke about the film’s broad appeal and the changing perception of animation. “People are accepting that animated films can be for kids, but they can also speak to all kinds of audiences,” he said.
The film has earned $20 million worldwide, becoming the most-viewed theatrical release in Latvia’s history. It previously won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs recognized the achievement, calling it a proud moment for the country.
