Latvia has picked Gints Zilbalodis’ animated feature Flow as its entry in the best international feature category for the 2025 Oscars.
The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section in Cannes this year and screened at animated festival Annecy, where it won four awards including the audience and jury prizes. Sideshow and Janus Films picked up North American rights to the movie out of Cannes and are planning a theatrical release for Flow later this year. It will also screen at the Toronto Film Festival next month.
The film is an eco-fable that follows a courageous cat who, following a cataclysmic flood, teams up with a group of other animals — a bird, a dog, a lemur and a capybara — to pilot a boat in search of dry land.
Zilbalodis co-wrote Flow with Matiss Kaza, and composed the score together with Rihards Zalupe. Charades is handling international sales.
Latvia’s selection committee of film industry experts picked the animated feature for next year’s awards race. The Baltic nation has yet to be nominated for an Oscar.
Latvia is one of the first to submit for the 97th Academy Awards. Austria has also picked its international feature contender, naming Berlinale winner The Devil’s Bath. Ireland is going with the Gaelic rap comedy Kneecap.
Countries have until Oct. 2 to submit their entries for the International Feature Film category. The eligibility period is between Nov. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024.
The 2025 Oscars shortlists will be announced on Dec. 17, with nominations on Jan. 17. The 97th Academy Awards will take place March 2.