Culture Watch: Flow

Written and directed by Gints Zilbalodis, Flow is an animated film from Latvia.

It's a film that centres around the experience of animals - demonstrating the power of non-verbal storytelling with an engaging adventure that is a visual feast.

The central character is a cat. A flood forces the cat to seek refuge on a passing boat, bringing him into contact with an array of eclectic animals as they float through an unfamiliar world.

One of the interesting things about this film is the way that it blends reality and fantasy - encouraging the audience to build a narrative context but then undercutting known reference points with fantasy elements.

There's a lot of careful observation in the way that animal behaviour is presented in the story - particularly the cat and the dog, who will feel welcomingly familiar to pet owners.

The world created is post apocalyptic of some kind. The evidence of human occupation is everywhere, but the humans are absent - it's not clear how or why. Rising water levels suggest climate change, but that's possibly just a contemporary projection trying to interpret what's unfolding on-screen.

The location seems to be a blended reality - as well as a cat, and dogs, the crew of the boat includes a capybara, a lemur, and a secretary bird. The boat's journey seems to take us into landscapes that are comparable to the Himalayas. A whale appears, but it's a mythical version of a whale - in contrast to the other animals featured it's not based in reality.

There is limited anthropomorphism - for the most part, the animals behave as animals but there is some seemingly human characteristics evident as the story progresses.

What's particularly impressive about this film is the range of emotions that it is able to evoke - there is humour, there is sadness, there is fear, and there is wonder. All without words. All by drawing on the audience's empathy with the animals as they navigate an uncertain journey.

Perhaps less clear is what the intention of the film is. Why is this story being told? Is the message something around the power of resilience, or is it as simple as we're stronger when we work together?

As we left the cinema, my friend Emi and I debated which of the animals we most identified with. I was adamant that I was capybara but Emi overruled me and decided that I was definitely giving secretary bird energy.

This is an animated film that's more within the tradition of anime and a Japanese aesthetic compared to the Disney-style animation that dominates western popular culture. It's a perspective that feels fresh and welcome.