Flow (Letônia, 2024)
Original title: Straume
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Writer/Screenplay: Gints Zilbalodis e Matīss Kaža
Runtime: 114 minutes (1°54’)
When there’s a good story to be told from the imagination of one (or in this case two) person(s), it’s impressive how global it can be even without specific lines, names or locations. And that’s how Flow became a work without lines about a lonely cat in a traumatic event that drew praise from the entire audience at its screenings.
With no proper names for the characters, we only have a clue about their personalities based on their species. We quickly meet the cat, who lives a solitary and peaceful life in an unknown place that we assume was once occupied by humans, given its abandoned buildings. We notice the classic behaviors of the species in a stylized animation that doesn’t seek realism, but rather captures the essence of the behavior of the characters presented. There, we also meet the dog and understand that this is a version of the world in which animals are dominating the place and that they already have an established life dynamic. The cat’s a solitary animal. The dog likes to live in groups.
But then the flood that gives the film its name begins, and it becomes impossible for any animal that survives the traumatic event to live alone. Thus, with the help of the capybara, the bird, and the lemur, the cat begins to understand that life with other animals can be important and even essential. Then, through these allegorical characters and a plot that involves a good dose of apocalyptic fantasy, everyone sees themselves on screen in their personal journeys of maturation based on one of the constructed archetypes.
The plot developed without any speech or writing shows us the universality of the theme of friendship, making it a film that could be understood by any audience in the world. Its extremely stylized style for the animals, but which seeks realism in the environments and in natural elements such as water, makes each frame interesting and poetic. The simple but delicately thought-out narrative reminds us that it’s only by using the best that each being has to offer that we can get through life with quality. In a sort of ode to introverts, it reminds us that from time to time it will be necessary to take a deep breath and move on, facing our fears.
Without needing to describe itself, it also reminds us of the predatory influence of humans on nature, and how perhaps this lack of harmony with other beings has led existence to this climactic point. Without needing the heavy hand of writing and description that’s sometimes used to create dystopian scenarios on screen, this reality is easily created and understood. The traits of a complex nature mixed with the purity of the animals' feelings and behaviors make us reflect deeply on our own existence and the adventures we have been through and those that still await us.
Reminding us of simplicity aligned with depth, the film touches the viewer deeply. It makes us want to see more films by the director and get to know the animation from Latvia, a country that isn’t known for its film industry.
Translated by: Renata Torres
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