“It’s adult Cocomelon.” No dialogue and gorgeous animated visuals with only a black cat meowing. That’s how my brother tried to sell Flow (2024) to me.
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the first independent film to do so, Flow also earned a nomination for Best International Feature Film. A Latvian, French, and Belgian co-production, it presents a visually stunning and emotionally resonant take on the classic post-apocalyptic survival story. It is sad to admit that I doubted my ability to remain engaged for an hour and half, but the one time I did check my phone was motivated by my desire to see how much of the film was left because I was worried a character was going to die.
The film, a labour of love spanning five years, was created using Blender, an open-source 3D animation software, with EEVEE rendering lending it a distinct, almost video game-like aesthetic. Every frame is crafted with care, and certain sequences are nothing short of breathtaking. The attention to detail, from the texture of fur to the weight of water, makes the world feel tactile and immersive.
At the heart is the found-family trope, embodied by a diverse cast of animals: a pragmatic black cat, a steady capybara, an overexcited and curious labrador, an anxious and trinket-obsessed ring-tailed lemur, and a stoic secretary bird. Together, they navigate a world rapidly consumed by rising sea levels, struggling to stay afloat in a small rickety sailboat, both literally and figuratively. Sound familiar? Perhaps. But Flow transcends cliché through its meticulous execution.
More than anything, Flow is a masterclass in visual storytelling. With no traditional dialogue, only the natural sounds of its animal protagonists, the film relies entirely on its animation to communicate emotion, character dynamics, and world-building. The Cat, our guide, drifts in and out of the frame, its perspective fluid and unbound. Accompanied by an intimate score, I was left in tears by the deeply moving ‘Flow Away’ at the emotional crest of the film.
Each animal is imbued with distinct characteristics that seamlessly blend anthropomorphism with their natural behaviors. It’s easy to see yourself in a misfit band of animals; the anxious, the pragmatic, the curious. I wanted to be the cat but in reality I’m the anxious lemur prone to vanity. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one wondering which animal I’d be.With its bold artistic choices and deeply evocative narrative, Flow is an unforgettable experience. It proves that sometimes, words aren’t necessary to tell a powerful story—only movement, expression, and the unspoken bonds that tether us to one another. Flow made me feel grateful to be alive.
