I was chatting to a friend recently about Oscar statistics and of the 25 films to win best picture this century, 19 also won a screenplay award (original or adapted).  It’s a reminder that when making a terrific movie, it helps if you start with a terrific script.  It could be wildly original like Everything Everywhere All at Once, an eye-opening true story like Spotlight, or an emotional drama like 12 Years a Slave.  Greatness comes in many forms.

Never has that been more evident when looking at the success of Flow.  It’s a Latvian animated feature, with zero dialogue, made using open-source 3D computer graphics available to the public (a far cry from Pixar and Walt Disney).  30-year-old director Gints Zilbalodis cobbled together €3.5 million to painstakingly made the 85-minute movie over more than 5 years.  After premiering at Cannes last May, it has since become the highest grossing Latvian film in history, won a Golden Globe, and then won the Academy Award for best animated feature (beating out much more fancied competitors).

While it doesn’t feature a single spoken word, a major factor in the film’s success is the beauty and simplicity of its script.  It’s the tale of a black cat trying to find their way to higher ground when a devastating flood sweeps through its forested home.  Cats tend to be independent with a hatred of water, but this one will have to break out of its comfort zone if it wants to stay alive. 

It jumps on board a deserted ship and teams up with an active dog, a kind-hearted bird, a cheeky lemur, and a placid capybara.  They don’t always get along but, given the dangerous surroundings, is the best of a bad situation.  You’ll already have a strong sense… but the narrative taps into the broader societal themes of meeting new people, visiting new places, and trying new experiences.

While the characters don’t talk, as they usually might in an animated feature, we have an appreciation for their feelings through facial expressions and other noises.  Zilbalodis uses actual animal sounds, some of which were recorded at the zoo, to make it as authentic as possible.  The hitch-pitched yowling of a scared cat tells us as much as any words could.  The background noises, which include wind rustling through trees and fast flowing water, make the movie a very “sensory” experience (particularly if seeing in a cinema with surround sound).

The film’s visuals are also stunning.  There are long, unbroken takes (rare for an animated film) and the constantly moving “camera” hovers over the characters as if it’s a drone.  It’s different from the more static style we see in other animated features.  To be enjoyed by audiences of any age, Flow provides a memorable experience.