The Magic of Animation: How the Oscar-Winning Film Flow Came to Be

The path of the animated film Flow: from concept to realization.

The animated film 'Flow' won acclaim from critics and audiences around the world. The film, made by director Gints Zilbalodis, became the first Latvian project to win an Oscar statuette.

The film tells the story of a cat surviving in a post-apocalyptic, flooded world. The picture has no dialogue, letting audiences focus on the visual experience and their own emotions.

Zilbalodis has described the film as made by a very small and young, but passionate team, in a place with no major film industry, calling it the first time a film from Latvia had reached this stage, which he called a huge achievement for them, said director Gints Zilbalodis while accepting the award at the Oscar ceremony.

Read about how 'Flow' came together, from concept to realization, in this DeTalks article.

The Origins of the Idea

The idea for 'Flow' first came to Gints Zilbalodis back in 2019. The director wanted to move away from traditional animation, where animals talk and act like people, so he decided to create something more realistic.

Zilbalodis has explained that when animals in animation behave like animals, people become more emotionally attached to them, noting that if something bad happens to a dog or a cat, people worry more about them than they would about a person in the same situation, adding that the world looks bigger from the perspective of a small animal like a cat, so the tragedies that befall this cat feel more monumental, noted the film's creator.

This approach let the film show a more authentic, emotionally rich portrait of its protagonist — a cat fighting to survive in a world transformed beyond recognition.

The Creation Process

Work on the film lasted more than five years. A significant part of that time went into writing the script and finding funding. Production of the film itself, meanwhile, took about 12 months.

Zilbalodis used the computer graphics program 'Blender' to create the animation — this gave the film a visual style similar to a video game, and also helped save money, since the program is free.

Zilbalodis has described wanting to create something new, different from what the major studios do, stressed the director.

The Film's Uniqueness

'Flow' stands out for its lack of dialogue. The entire story is conveyed through visual imagery, music, and the sounds of nature, making the film understandable to viewers of any nationality and age.

Zilbalodis has explained that right now, all his films are dialogue-free — specifically dialogue-free, not silent — saying it's simply easier for him that way, and that he thinks dialogue would just create more friction with the visuals, taking away freedom, whereas without it, he can use even more music, explained Zilbalodis.

Recognition and Awards

The film 'Flow' won numerous awards, including the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature. These wins became an important step for Latvian cinema, since it was the first time in history a film from the country received this kind of recognition.

Zilbalodis has described this as a very personal story, since he'd previously worked alone, making all his films himself, but that this time, he worked with a team, and, like the Cat, had to learn to trust others, noted Zilbalodis while accepting the Oscar.

The Film's Significance for the Future of Animation

After the release of 'Flow,' interest in Latvian animation significantly grew both nationally and internationally. The film became the most popular in the history of Latvian movie theaters, surpassing even international blockbusters like 'Titanic' and 'Avatar: The Way of Water.'

As a result, 'Flow' didn't just become a cultural phenomenon in Latvia — it also raised the profile of the country's animation on the international stage. This opened new opportunities for Baltic animators, and also demonstrated a new approach to making animated films.