Flow, an animated feature that was produced independently, has earned the best animated feature film, beating out movies from powerhouses Disney and DreamWorks.
The movie from director Gints Zilbalodis beat out Inside Out 2, Memoir of a Snail, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and The Wild Robot. “I am really moved by the warm reception,” said Zilbalodis while accepting the Oscar. “I am hoping it will open doors to independent animation or filmmakers around the world.”
Flow cost a reported $3.7 million to make. By comparison, DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot cost $78 million and Disney’s Inside Out 2 cost $200 million. The animation category was a particular toss-up this year, given the strong performance of Flow this awards season. The Latvian low-budget animation took home both the Golden Globe and PGA award.
Flow follows a cat who navigates a post-apocalyptic, flooded Earth on a boat with other species that includes a dog, lemur, and a capybara. Said Zilbalodis is his speech, “We are all on the same boat and we must find ways to overcome our differences and work together.”
“At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, there’s something about the purity of great animated storytelling that can shatter your heart and then make it whole again,” THR‘s review of the film noted. “Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis’ captivating second feature, Flow, is that kind of marvel, a vividly experiential white-knuckle survival adventure that takes place in a world on the brink of ruin. Told entirely without dialogue, this tale of a cat that evolves from self-preservation to solidarity with a motley crew of other species is something quite special.”
Flow also made history becoming the first Latvian film to win at the Oscars (the movie is also nominated in the best international feature category). After the win, host Conan O’Brien joked: “Your move, Estonia.”
The 97th Academy Awards were hosted by O’Brien at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. See the star-studded Oscars red carpet 2025 arrivals from Sunday night. See the full winners list here.
