©Courtesy of Janus Films 

For some, it will be hard to ignore the Biblical implications of this new animated tale. After all, it follows a rag-tag group of animals, who survive a sudden apocalyptic flood aboard a floating sanctuary. Yet, other viewers will see it as a cautionary environmentally-themed beast fable, somewhat in the tradition of Watership Down. The absence of dialogue allows viewers plenty of space to read their own meaning into the furry and feathered drama, but the artistry is undeniable. Nominated by Latvia as their official International Academy Award submission, Gints Zilbalodis’s animated feature Flow deserves to emerge as a genuine awards contender, after it opens this Friday in New York.

Zilbalodis and co-screenwriter Matiss Kaza never really explain how the Cat came to live in the forest, because there is nobody to do the explaining. We might reasonably surmise the Cat was once the pet of the now-absent artist who produced the large-scale surrealist feline sculptures that surround the abandoned cabin where the Cat still lives. The fate of the artist is unknown. Indeed, no humans ever intrude into this animal world.

 

Regardless, the Cat clearly lived by its wits for quite a while, even before the freak flash flood engulfs the forest. As a result, the Cat’s survival instincts are already highly attuned. In contrast, the likable Labrador Retriever always automatically followed his pack of strays, until the rising waters separated him from them. Consequently, he latches onto to the Cat, who reluctantly leads his new canine companion to a drifting sailboat already carrying an unlikely passenger, a capybara.

©Courtesy of Janus Films

As the boat drifts along the flood currents, they also pick up a Ring-Tailed Lemur with packrat impulses for shiny objects and a Secretarybird, weakened from a fight with the alpha of its flock. Indeed, the geographical diversity of their habitats (capybaras being indigenous to South America, while Secretarybirds hail from the Sub-Saharan savanna) certainly reinforces the Noah’s Ark vibe.

Flow might sound like a simple story, but it runs deeper than its flood waters. There is a great deal to unpack, should viewers choose to. In addition to its harrowing vision of environmental destruction, there are the individual animals’ journeys of self-discovery and growth. While the Cat learns “no feline is an island,” so to speak, the Labrador Retriever becomes more self-assertive. Yet, those inclined, can also turn off their brains and enjoy Flow for the epic animal survival story that it truly is.

Zilbalodis incorporates several animation techniques to create a world that is simultaneously realistic and eerily surreal. Frankly, some of the flooded cities the animals float through offer greater eye-popping spectacles than any science fiction film released this year. Yet, conventional animation audiences should find the animal-character designs warmly appealing and accessibly welcoming, especially the Labrador Retriever, who shows all the affectionate, slobbering loyalty that made the breed so perennially popular. If ever there was a film that could inspire art-house cinemas to sell tie-in plushy toys, this would be it.

©Courtesy of Janus Films

Perhaps Flow sounds heavy, considering it graphically depicts the animals’ life-and-death struggle against the elements, but it builds towards a very life-affirming message. Visually, it is also a film of unusual beauty. In addition to its distinctive look, Flow also has its own unique rhythm, but that does not mean it is slow-moving. Frankly, it is often quite intense, but in its own hypnotic way.

Indeed, Flow is probably the most immersive and transfixing animated film of the year. It deserves consideration in both the international and animated feature categories. Anyone who saw Zilbalodis’s previous feature Away at Fantasia a few years ago will recognize his quietly arresting wordless style, but Flow is definitely very much its own beast—one with considerable heart and style. Very highly recommended, Flow opens in theaters this Friday (11/22).

©Courtesy of Janus Films

Grade: A+

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Here’s the trailer of the film.