• 85 min

• Adventure/Fantasy

• Rated PG for perilous situations and thematic elements like mortality, nature, and existential undertones.

What would you do if everything familiar was suddenly swept away? Flow begins as a simple story of survival but quickly reveals something deeper beneath the water’s surface about what it means not just to endure, but to live.

The story follows a cat struggling to escape a cataclysmic flood. Cat has always lived in a world that revolves around him. Towering statues and images suggest a civilization that once revered his kind. But that world is gone, and Cat now lives contentedly alone — until the flood.

Driven from his home, Cat climbs as high as he can before being forced aboard a small boat captained by an equable capybara. As the water carries them onward, they are joined by other animals, each swept into the journey by circumstance. Bound together by necessity rather than choice, the animals are confronted with moments that test their quality, and in time, begin to care for one another.

Despite the absence of dialogue, the characters are remarkably well developed. Flow explores themes of self-discovery, identity, community, pride, and generosity. 

The capybara is the first aboard the boat and the last one off. It becomes a quiet symbol of steadiness and self-gift. The lemur (reminiscent of a more grounded King Julian) is humorous, flighty, and community oriented. The dog is just happy to be there. Most striking is the secretarybird — noble, standoffish, and bearing a tragic, almost mystical arc. Of all the characters who don’t speak, she speaks the least.

The recurring visual motif that reinforces these themes throughout the film is reflection. From the opening shot of Cat studying his own reflection in the water, to a mirror on the boat that plays an important role, to the final shot of the film, which bookends the first, the cinematography invites the viewer to consider not only how the characters see themselves, but how they are changed.

Besides being an entertaining and compelling story, Flow is also notable for its remarkably modest production. It was animated with Blender, a free software package accessible to anyone with a home computer. And it went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, which is well deserved: the visuals are beautiful, and the craftsmanship is evident in all aspects.

While the film is family friendly, it is not necessarily aimed at younger viewers, being nuanced and poignant for teens and adults. Without dialogue or humans, Flow communicates some remarkably human truths. 

In an era when many films feel driven by overt messages, Flow stands apart, simply telling a good story and trusting the viewers to discover the virtue within. Quiet, thoughtful, and often amusing, it is a film well worth experiencing.