FLOW (Animation film). (France-Belguim-Latvia) Oscar contender. Children free with an Adult ticket.

FLOW film trailer HERE 

90 min.  Director Gints Zilbalodis (Away) Producer Matīss Kaža

FLOW is a animated film for all  film lovers, ages and has been winning awards (just recently in Melbourne ) and praise all around the world.

It's about a cat and a group of other charcters; a labrador ,a stork, a lemur and a pretty sleepy capybara who's home is flooded and who end up a boat having to survive until the water subsides. They visit Tibeten like places that are only partly submerged. They don't speak at all. They're animals and behave like animals. 

This means there's no dialogue in the film at all---communication is delivered by visual means ,their sounds and body language. Combined with the music track it's cinematic in presentation and an absolute joy to watch.

The black cat is the quick witted star. Fearful of dogs and suspicious of the other animals it acts like any cat would and its cautious reactions, athleticsim and ability to survive are all big screen, ahem, cat nip for lovers of visual storytelling.

However as their situation becomes more perilous ( they need food) these very different creatures need to find a way to trust one another in order to survive. A metaphor for humanity if ever there was one.

Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis has made another striking animated allegory without dialogue setting his  hand-drawn characters in photorealist landscapes in which he employs inventive and free-flowing camerawork reminiscent of Terrence Malick.

This film is an  inspiring corrective to the sickly cute anthropomorphism that pervades mainstream animation and a poignant parable for our climate-catastrophe times.

“Enchanting. There’s something about the purity of great animated storytelling that can shatter your heart and then make it whole again. Flow is that kind of marvel.” –Hollywood Reporter

"It's a beautifully-made, deeply cinematic film meant to give audiences an emotional experience and also remind them of the immeasurable importance of friendship." First showing.net

An impressive and enthralling work. Profoundly affecting and ground breaking."  GeekVibesNation

"It’s not just a supreme example of a movie kids will love that adults will too. With its wordlessness, this is a film that could play in any country of the world, its capacity to reach literally everyone limitless." Indie Wire

Cannes Un Certain  Regard.

MIFF Bright Horizons Special Jury Award    The jury in Melbourne said they wanted to “recognize a movie that not only had a profound impact on us as jury members, but which through its grace, empathy and universality will leave a mark on cinema and the world at large.”