Oscars 2025: Latvia Picks Animated ‘Flow’ for International Feature Race

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As a passionate cinephile who has traversed the globe for the pursuit of cinematic masterpieces, I could hardly contain my excitement upon hearing about Latvia’s entry for the 2025 Oscars – Gints Zilbalodis’ animated feature, Flow. Having had the privilege to immerse myself in the rich tapestry of global cinema, I can confidently say that this eco-fable is a truly unique and captivating tale.

In 2025, Latvia selected the animated feature film “Flow” by Gints Zilbalodis to represent it in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars.

As a lifelong cinephile who has attended countless film festivals and followed the independent cinema scene closely, I am genuinely excited about the upcoming release of “Flow,” a film that premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes this year and screened at the animated festival Annecy, where it won four awards including both the audience and jury prizes. Sideshow and Janus Films, two reputable distributors, have picked up the North American rights to the movie out of Cannes, signaling their confidence in its potential success. I am eagerly awaiting a theatrical release later this year, as I believe “Flow” has all the makings of a truly captivating and thought-provoking film.

The movie tells a story of an ecological fable centered around a brave cat who joins forces with a diverse crew – a bird, a dog, a lemur, and a capybara – after a devastating flood, embarking on a boat journey in the hope of finding dry ground.

Zilbalodis teamed up with Matiss Kaza to pen the screenplay for “Flow“, and collaborated with Rihards Zalupe on the film’s music score. The company Charades manages the movie’s global distribution.

A panel of Latvian film professionals has chosen an animated movie as their contender for the upcoming award season, marking the first time Latvia has been in the running for an Academy Award.

As a gamer, I’m excited to share that Latvia has been among the first to submit its entry for the 97th Academy Awards. Austria has chosen its international feature contender too – it’s the Berlinale winner, “The Devil’s Bath.” Ireland is going with a unique choice as well – the Gaelic rap comedy, “Kneecap.” These films are now in the running, and I can’t wait to see which ones make it to the big stage!

Nations must submit their nominations for the International Feature Film category by October 2nd. The films should have been produced during the eligibility window which spans from November 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.

On December 17th, the shortlist for the 2025 Oscars will be revealed. Nominations will follow on January 17th, and the 97th Academy Awards ceremony itself will occur on March 2nd.

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2024-08-12 17:54