Flow (2024)

by Linda Kay

Original Title: Straume

Also starring: Miut (voice only)

Directed by: Gints Zilbalodis

This review contains Kitty Carnage Warnings for dangerous situations!

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A black cat struggles to survive in a suddenly flooded world, forming bonds with a capybara, a lemur, a secretary bird, a dog and even a whale.

Cartoon Cat: The nameless cat is introduced as having lived with a woodcarver who created cat statues. The events in the story are never explained but its clear something catastrophic happened earlier to the humans as none are ever seen.

Flow - animated black cat standing in woods

When the waters start to rise the cat finds themselves stranded until a boat appears in the distance.

Flow - animated black cat looking at float in surrounding water

Flow - animated black cat looking at sailboat in distance

Inside the boat the cat encounters a capybara. As the two travel the flooded world they pick up a lemur.

Flow - animated black cat with capybara in boat

Flow - animated black cat with lemur in boat

A secretary bird at first appears to be an enemy but quickly becomes an incredible friend and protector.

Flow - animated black cat with secretary bird

The cat learns to fish and provides food for the other animals, which include a group of dogs, much to the cat’s chagrin.

Flow - animated black cat catching fish in water

Flow - animated black cat with dog in boat

To share any more of the story is to rob the viewer of an unforgettable experience. The animators really understand cats and it shows in every frame.

Flow - animated black cat floating in stars

Kitty Carnage Warning! We must warn cat lovers that if you’re at all sensitive to cats and other animals in dangerous situations, this film might give you some stressful moments, but we still encourage you to give it a watch for its beautiful message of cooperation and tolerance.

Flow - animated black cat on prow of boat in flooded city

Sound designer Gurwal Coïc-Gallas wanted to use real animal voices for the main characters and called upon his own female orange pet cat named Miut to play the main part. Reportedly the cat was microphone shy and would go quiet around the device so it took a while for him to get the desired recordings.

Flow - ginger cat Miut — **Photo of Miut video shared by Gints Zilbalodis on Instagram**.

If this story seems vaguely familiar it may be because Latvian animator Gints Zilbalodis also created the animated short film entitled Aqua which we reviewed previously. There are many images and themes carried over from that stylized short which you will recognize in Flow.