PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! After watching the Latvian best-animated feature submission, Flow, I wonder if this film was made in the United States, what role would Kevin Hart play?
Director Gints Zilbalodis tells the story of a feral cat wandering through the woods in what seems like long ago or far into the future. The cat does what cats do: it looks for food, safety, and shelter as it hides in the home of a sculptor who has a penchant for cats.
While out and about, the cat runs into a pack of dogs that chase it across the forest. The chase ends when they come across a herd of stampeding deer. Why are they stampeding? A flood of water is fast behind them, and as the cat tries to outrun the flood, it realizes that the water levels are rising and that there is no place high enough to go.
After finding a boat, the cat befriends a ring-tailed lemur, a capybara, and one of the dogs that chased it earlier. They are also joined by what appears to be a secretary bird and one unexpected guest. Their sole goal is to work together and survive as they follow their instincts, particularly those of the solitary cat.
“…a feral cat wandering through the woods in what seems like long ago or far into the future.”
Flow could never have been made by American studios because there was no dialogue, the creatures moved like creatures, and no celebrity voices were involved. Although the story likely appeals more to adults, older children are mature and insightful enough to understand and possibly appreciate it.
My guess is that this story follows the events of Noah’s Ark (I could be wrong). It’s a touching tale of friendship that explores the idea of working with people/creatures who are not like us. There’s also a zombie vibe in that not everyone can be trusted within the group and along the way.
The animation style is also breathtaking. It looks like the animal movements are captured through a hybrid of rotoscoping and 3D computer animation. The camera follows our heroes in grand sweeping movements as if suspended on wires like in a modern football broadcast. The camera also brings us down to the ground at the level of the animals. When I saw Flow, I was in the first row and suffered motion sickness by the end.
I loved not knowing anything about this film before watching it. What stands out in the end is friendship from the perspective of an animal, not an anthropomorphized one. Director Zilbalodis evokes all the emotions of survival in an extreme situation. You’ll be holding your breath at times. He masterfully conveys emotions through each animal without stooping to live-action Disney Lion King levels. It’s an indie animated film that deserves the awards recognition it’s getting.
Flow screened at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival.
"…could never have been made by American studios..."
