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.

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


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


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

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


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.

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.

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.

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.

The film went on to win both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Final Mewsings: Cats may be independent but know when it’s the right time to cooperate.
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