Flow (2024 | Latvia, Belgium, France | 85 minutes | Gints Zilbalodis)
As the year comes to a close, we here at The Sunbreak realize that there have been so many films we couldn’t catch as they were released into the wild that still deserve a little love. These posts are our attempt to make up for that and get you squared away for awards season.
Cat is languidly living in an urban wilderness. Surrounded by worn-down buildings and lush greenery, you sense both the familiar and the unknown. Without any warning he is faced with quickly rising water; he moves farther and farther up surrounding buildings and to the top of a sculpture identical to our small protagonist. Nothing but water as far as the eye can see, he’s unsure of where to go. Cat discovers a small boat, but it’s already inhabited by other animals looking for the same salvation. Sucking up fear and anxiety, he hops in leaving his fate to chance and hope. This is just the beginning of his epic journey to find solid ground, both figuratively and literally.
I came upon Flow in my mad attempt to get through as many 2024 well-loved movies as possible before the Seattle Film Critics Society started voting on best of the year. I’m so very happy that I managed to fit in Flow (one of several really beautiful animated films). The fact that the entire film was nearly silent save a few natural sounds here and there, yet it portrayed the anxiety, fear and excitement of such a harrowing journey is incredible. I wasn’t entirely in love with the look of the animation but that made little difference after the story was underway. I was enchanted and captivated from beginning to end. I hope it reaches a much wider audience, it would be well-deserved and delight anyone who watches.
Flow will be available on VOD and digital platforms on 1/7/2025