Latest news with #Zilbalodis'
The Hindu
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Review of Gints Zilbalodis's ‘Flow'
In an era of big-budget studio-produced animation films, one of the most memorable and groundbreaking motion pictures comes in the form of the delicate story of a cat's journey in a world that feels oddly familiar, perhaps because one can imagine such a situation is not too far away from occurring on our planet. The film follows the journey of a cat that lives by itself in a jungle but must now fight to survive in a world that is suddenly devastated by a great flood. Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis' 'Flow' pulls you in from the very first scene, and you are instantly enamoured by the imagery he creates, a world made entirely using Unreal Engine. What he crafts is quite unreal indeed, and in its short runtime, 'Flow' manages to say so much without speaking a single word. It is an example of how a film without dialogue can transcend the very boundary of language itself. While many may find the idea of a film without any dialogue to serve as a daunting watch, Flow is in fact one of the most immersive films in recent memory. The sound design and attention to tiny details, along with the wonderful animation style, is a feast for the senses. In fact, after a point, one seems to understand exactly what is being emoted or said, even though they are sounds made by animals. Such is the grand achievement of Zilbalodis' sophomore feature. The film plays out like a modern version of Noah's Ark with a twist: There is not a single human being present throughout the film. The water rises every moment, as it submerges every tree in the forest and even hides mountains. 'Flow' is as much a film about nature and wildlife conservation as it is about coexistence. In a world that is increasingly finding itself divided, we see the cat, a creature often known for being solitary, finding companions in the most unlikely of creatures, as they survive through the worst of climate change together. The film finds itself wavering amidst several moments of beauty throughout. Be it the flood sequence or the brief moments where we see the golden rays of warm sunshine, this environmental drama manages to weave together multiple emotional punches. The audience finds themselves as a part of the floating crew, slowly getting accustomed to this fine group of animals who navigate their way to safety in a world that feels anything but safe. Nearly 200,000 acres of forests are lost every day. There has been a significant rise in global temperatures. It is important to join hands irrespective of our differences, for the battle to protect nature is common, not just for a better today, but for a more hopeful tomorrow. Flow is a warm hug that whispers into our ear the need to strive for change to save mother earth, even if it starts in the simplest of ways. The writer, Rudrangsh Gupta, is a freelance filmmaker and enjoys keeping a keen eye out for moving stories that are shown with a unique lens.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Near-perfect "irresistible" Oscar winner Flow confirms UK streaming release date
Acclaimed movie Flow will finally be streaming in the UK after winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature earlier this year. A co-production of Latvia, Belgium and France, the film from director and co-writer Gints Zilbalodis follows a dark grey cat trying to survive with other animals in a post-apocalyptic world. Cat lovers won't have to wait very long to stream the 2024 film, as it will start streaming on MUBI from 20 June. The arthouse streaming platform is also available as an add-on Prime Video channel. This means you'll get to stream its catalogue for free for a whole week when you subscribe to Prime 30-day free trial. Whatever your streaming subscription, be sure to give Flow a chance as the film is currently Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 97% out of 181 reviews. Related: Premiered at Cannes last year, Zilbalodis' movie was praised for its original approach to animated storytelling compared to most animated movies, particularly those from Disney's ranks. "It's a film full of wonders but not a single word of dialogue in the epic tale of one cat's adventures after a flood of biblical proportions," The Guardian review noted. "As visions of apocalypse go, it's rather lovely." The film touches upon the theme of climate change, without ever being "cloying or condescending", the Little White Lies review out of the festival read. Related: Elsewhere in the animated medium, a John Wick spinoff is in the works with Keanu Reeves announced to reprise the role of the titular assassin. The animated prequel will focus on the Impossible Task, which takes place before the events of the first John Wick movie and sees the hitman having to get rid of his enemies in one night to fulfil his obligation to the High Table. Flow will start streaming on MUBI from 20 June. . Digital Spy's first print magazine is here! Buy in newsagents or , now priced at just £3.99.£49.99 at at at Amazon at Audible£18.99 at at at EE£328.00 at at at at at at at at at at Amazon at EE at at at at at Game at Pandora at EE at at at at at Sky Mobile£29.98 at at at at at at Three at Pandora£1200.00 at Game at at at at at at AO at at at at £199.99 at Fitbit£49.99 at at at at at at at at at at at John Lewis at at at at at at at at at at £44.99 at at at at Amazon at at John Lewis£184.00 at John Lewis & Partners at at at at at Amazon at Fitbit£119.99 at at Amazon£184.00 at John Lewis & Partners at Three at at at at at at at at at Amazon at Three at at at at at at at Apple£699.00 at at at at at at at EE at Audible at at at at at John Lewis at at at at John Lewis at at at Amazon at Apple at at at at at at at at EE$365.00 at Microsoft£229.00 at John Lewis at at at Three£79.00 at Samsung at at Apple at at at John Lewis at at Amazon at at at Samsung at crunchyroll£1199.00 at AO at at at Microsoft at at at at John Lewis & Partners at at Microsoft£92.98 at at Amazon£369.00 at John Lewis at at at at at now at at at John Lewis & Partners at at at at at Microsoft at at at John Lewis at at at at £6.65 at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at You Might Also Like PS5 consoles for sale – PlayStation 5 stock and restocks: Where to buy PS5 today? IS MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 THE BEST IN THE SERIES? OUR REVIEW AEW game is a modern mix of No Mercy and SmackDown
Express Tribune
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'Flow' director celebrates Oscar win by recreating viral spinning cat meme
Gints Zilbalodis, the director of Flow, celebrated his Oscar win by recreating the viral spinning cat meme with the film's feline protagonist. Last week, Flow made history by becoming the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, a significant achievement for indie animators and Blender users worldwide. In a true display of indie spirit, Zilbalodis chose to celebrate by returning home and using his favourite 3D software, Blender, to bring the meme to life. The director's version of the meme, inspired by W&W's viral take on the oiia oiia meme, was created in response to a request from a member of the audience during a virtual Q&A in China, the meme's country of origin. The sequence, which was shared alongside a screenshot, showcases Zilbalodis' talent in using Blender, the free and open-source 3D software used to create Flow. The director also shared a cat with a white background, encouraging fans to create their own versions of the meme. This playful tribute not only highlights Zilbalodis' success with Flow but also celebrates the growing influence of Blender in the indie animation community.
Associated Press
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
‘Flow' wins animated feature Academy Award, delivering Latvia its first Oscar
LOS ANGELES (AP) — 'Flow,″ a wordless cat parable, won the Oscar for animated feature at Sunday's 97th Academy Awards. The win gives Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis his first Academy Award. 'Flow' was made with Blender, a free, open-source graphics software tool using computer generated animation. The result is a dreamy aesthetic paired with a peaceful, yet post-apocalyptic, fable about a black cat, dog, capybara, ring-tailed lemur and secretary bird trying to survive a catastrophic flood. The film has no dialogue and forces viewers to be mesmerized by the unlikely relationship and understanding between the species trying to escape the rising waters. 'I think you can express a lot more without words. Some of these emotions and ideas I couldn't articulate with words but with music, sound, movement and editing, I can say a lot more,' he said backstage. 'Those are my favorite kinds of films and favorite scenes and are very cinematic and transcend cultural boundaries.' It's only Zilbalodis' second animated film as a director. 'Thank you to my mom and dad. Thank you to my cats and dogs. I'm really, moved by the warm reception our film has had. I hope this will open of doors to independent animation filmmakers around the world,' said Zilbalodis. 'This is the first time a film from Latvia has ever been nominated. So it really means a lot to us. We are very inspired and we hope to be back soon.' Zilbalodis' unexpected Oscar contender — and now winner — has been welcomed with open arms this award season. The win Sunday adds to an already impressive resume for the new director, which includes a best animated feature win at the Golden Globe Awards and nominations from Critics Choice Awards, Annie Awards and British Academy Film Awards. The success of the film is shared with producers Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman. The Latvian, French and Belgian co-production was also nominated for best international feature film, and is the first Latvian film to be nominated at the Academy Awards. The film beat another atmospheric story in 'The Wild Robot,' as well as 'Inside Out 2,' Disney's highest-grossing movie last year, and Claymation films 'Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' and 'Memoir of a Snail.' Iranian filmmakers Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi also earned their first Academy Award for animated short film for 'In the Shadow of the Cypress.' It was the second Iranian animated or live-action short film nominated at the Oscars and the first to win. 'In the Shadow of the Cypress' takes a creative approach to the relationship between a father, an old former captain who is dealing with PTSD, and his daughter. 'It's a very long story and it's not feasible to explain all of it at this moment. We are living on sanctions. Our national currency is devaluing and shrinking every day. The most important thing is the economic crisis,' Molayemi said. 'We have always been interested in making a featured animated movie,' Sohani said on what the pair is working on next. ___
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
‘Flow' wins animated feature Academy Award, delivering Latvia its first Oscar
'Flow,″ a wordless cat parable, won the Oscar for animated feature at Sunday's 97th Academy Awards. The win gives Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis his first Academy Award. 'Flow' was made with Blender, a free, open-source graphics software tool using computer generated animation. The result is a dreamy aesthetic paired with a peaceful, yet post-apocalyptic, fable about a black cat, dog, capybara, ring-tailed lemur and secretary bird trying to survive a catastrophic flood. The film has no dialogue and forces viewers to be mesmerized by the unlikely relationship and understanding between the species trying to escape the rising waters. 'I think you can express a lot more without words. Some of these emotions and ideas I couldn't articulate with words but with music, sound, movement and editing, I can say a lot more,' he said backstage. 'Those are my favorite kinds of films and favorite scenes and are very cinematic and transcend cultural boundaries.' It's only Zilbalodis' second animated film as a director. "Thank you to my mom and dad. Thank you to my cats and dogs. I'm really, moved by the warm reception our film has had. I hope this will open of doors to independent animation filmmakers around the world," said Zilbalodis. "This is the first time a film from Latvia has ever been nominated. So it really means a lot to us. We are very inspired and we hope to be back soon.' Zilbalodis' unexpected Oscar contender — and now winner — has been welcomed with open arms this award season. The win Sunday adds to an already impressive resume for the new director, which includes a best animated feature win at the Golden Globe Awards and nominations from Critics Choice Awards, Annie Awards and British Academy Film Awards. The success of the film is shared with producers Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman. The Latvian, French and Belgian co-production was also nominated for best international feature film, and is the first Latvian film to be nominated at the Academy Awards. The film beat another atmospheric story in "The Wild Robot,' as well as 'Inside Out 2,' Disney's highest-grossing movie last year, and Claymation films 'Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' and 'Memoir of a Snail.' Iranian filmmakers Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi also earned their first Academy Award for animated short film for 'In the Shadow of the Cypress." It was the second Iranian animated or live-action short film nominated at the Oscars and the first to win. 'In the Shadow of the Cypress' takes a creative approach to the relationship between a father, an old former captain who is dealing with PTSD, and his daughter. 'It's a very long story and it's not feasible to explain all of it at this moment. We are living on sanctions. Our national currency is devaluing and shrinking every day. The most important thing is the economic crisis,' Molayemi said. 'We have always been interested in making a featured animated movie,' Sohani said on what the pair is working on next. ___
