Flow (Straume, in Latvian)

this film is a thing of beauty

as the story unfolds before your eyes

  a cat trying to survive

along with other animals

some from

across the earth, the air, the sea

the animation is flawless

filled with details

 offering clues to the story

becoming clearer over time

while some of it remains ambiguous

there is no dialogue

its mesmerizing score

colors, light, mood, magical quality

all draw you in to

this ethereal vision

the ebb and flow of life, death, renewal

 choices made by the individual

and those of the collective community

accepting differences

learning from each other

 caring for each other

impacting each other

there are scenes

that will break your heart

 that will bring you joy

an ongoing thread of reflection shines through

reminding each

they are still here

who they are

 who stands with them

the universal need

for connection and community.

this film is a poem.

—

(Make sure to watch the credits to see a final scene)

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Flow was the first Latvian production to win an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. The film’s Golden Globe Award was featured at the Latvian National Museum of Art.  It was also the first independent film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

The film’s budget was around €3.5 million, which translates to roughly $3.7 million USD.

Production for this film took 5 1/2 years to complete.

No storyboards were used for the production and there are no deleted scenes.

• Co-production: “Flow” was a co-production between Latvia, Belgium, and France.
• Director: Gints Zilbalodis (First win for him)
• Producers: Sacrebleu Productions, Dream Well and Take Five

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‘each of us is a living system within a greater living system,

connected to each other in more ways than we can fathom. ‘ 

-Paul H. Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson