'Flow' wins LUX Audience Award 2025
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It's the little kitty that could...
The Oscar winning animated film
Straume
(
Flow
)
, directed by Gints Zilbalodis, has won this year's
LUX Audience Award
, the pan-European audience film prize which champions EU co-productions that engage with topical issues and encourage debate about European values.
The Latvian, French, Belgian co-production tells the story of Cat, a solitary animal whose home is devastated by a great flood. In his efforts to adapt to a new world, Cat finds refuge on a boat populated by other animals. This wonderful animated fantasy adventure, created using the free and open-source software Blender, is notable for its lack of dialogue and striking imagery.
Flow debuted at the
2024 Cannes Film Festival
in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section to great critical acclaim, and already won various awards including Best Animated Film at the
European Film Awards
,
Golden Globes
and the
Oscars
, beating competition from big US productions including
Moana 2
and
Inside Out 2
.
It was declared the winner at a ceremony the European Parliament hemicycle in Brussels.
And the winner is...
European Union 2025 - Source : EP
'The LUX Audience Award is more than just a prize. It is a testament to the European Parliament's commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and the role of cinema in reflecting and shaping our societies,' said European Parliament Vice-President Sabine Verheyen during the award ceremony.
'It brings European stories closer to people and brings people closer to the work of the European Parliament,' she added.
Flow wins LUX Audience Award
European Union 2025 - Source : EP
Indeed,
Flow
deals with issues like climate change, migration, displacement, and resilience. In our
Best Movies of 2024
countdown, we said: "The detailed micro-characteristics of each species, like the overly-keen labrador, the grumpy capybara and the inscrutable secretarybird, create endearing dynamics that float themes of friendship and the importance of banding together despite differences. While the topic of climate change also looms large, Flow is most rewarding when viewed as a simple story told beautifully - at points rather stressful, but ultimately life-affirming catnip for the soul." Check out our review
here
.
Flow wins LUX Audience Award 2025
European Union 2025 - Source : EP
'We have had five compelling narratives and five very different LUX Audience Award nominees: they are an inspiration to filmmakers and the public alike, not only for celebrating the extraordinary variety of European cinema but also for demonstrating its ability to entertain and elevate at the same time,' said Mike Downey, honorary president of the LUX Selection Committee and chair of the
European Film Academy
, following the announcement of the winner.
'The cinematic art in Europe is a perfect example of how culture can make a significant contribution to society and advocate for compassion, empathy and change in an otherwise divided world', added Downey.
Team Flow
European Union 2025 - Source : EP
The four other films shortlisted for the award were
Animal
by Greek director Sofia Exarchou; Golden Bear winner
Dahomey
by French director Mati Diop;
Intercepted
by Ukranian director Oksana Karpovych; and
Julie Keeps Quiet
by Belgian director Leonardo van Dijl.
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