The jury of the National Cinema Center (NKC) confirmed that 'Straume' would be nominated by Latvia on August 12 in the 'Best International Feature' category, ahead of Dāvis Sīmanis' feature film 'Marias klusums' ('Maria's silence').
The NKC described 'Flow' as: "A wondrous journey, through realms natural and mystical, Flow follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet. From the boundless imagination of the award-winning Gints Zilbalodis comes a thrilling animated spectacle as well as a profound meditation on the fragility of the environment and the spirit of friendship and community. Steeped in the soaring possibilities of visual storytelling, Flow is a feast for the senses and a treasure for the heart."
Gints Zilbalodis first came to prominence with his debut animated feature, 'Away', a labor of love that saw him doing everything from writing to direction to music. This time around he had a larger creative team around him and "Straume" surprised the world in May, when it was screened in the Cannes Film Festival competition "Un certain regard" and was included in various selections of the best films at Cannes in the evaluations of many European critics. Acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro was particularly effusive in his praise.
If I could wish for the future of animation, these images would be its magnificent, breathtaking start. https://t.co/mI1rp2l9Ar
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) May 27, 2024
Immediately afterwards, the film received four awards at the most important European animation festival in Annecy (France), including the audience award, and the Latvian national premiere and cinema release are planned for the end of this month.
The distribution rights of the film have already been purchased in more than 20 territories, including the crucial American market.
According to the NKC, the recognition created by the international success of 'Flow' is a very important element in the Oscars competition, since the fate of the awards is determined by the vote of the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
