Fairfax Festival Eco Fest 2025 Movie Night on the Ballfield “Flow”
Need to know 
- Ages: All are welcome
- Location: Contratti Ballfield
- Time: Sundown
- Cost: Free
- What to bring: Bring a blanket, layers and your imagination
About the film
Flow (Straume): A Landmark in Latvian Animation
A powerful wave of creativity has surged from the Baltic region with the release of Flow (Latvian: Straume), a 2024 animated adventure film directed by acclaimed Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis. Co-written and produced by Zilbalodis and Matīss Kaža, Flow is a visually stunning, dialogue-free feature that follows a lone cat navigating a mysterious, post-apocalyptic world alongside other displaced animals as rising waters threaten to engulf everything.
An International Artistic Collaboration
Flow is a Latvian, French, and Belgian co-production that showcases the strength of global storytelling through animation. The film’s unique visual identity was brought to life entirely in Blender, the free and open-source animation software. Zilbalodis worked without storyboards or deleted scenes, opting for a fluid, intuitive process inspired by the works of Jacques Tati and the classic anime Future Boy Conan.
Five Years in the Making
Production on Flow began in 2019 and took five and a half years to complete. The result is a meticulous and immersive world that has captivated audiences worldwide.
Accolades & Acclaim
Flow premiered on 22 May 2024 in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and debuted in Latvian theaters on 29 August. The film quickly became a national sensation, breaking multiple box-office records and ultimately becoming the most-viewed film in Latvian theater history.
The film continued its remarkable journey with major international recognition:
🏆 Winner – Best Animated Feature, 97th Academy Awards
🎥 Nominee – Best International Feature Film (Latvia’s first-ever nomination in this category)
🏅 Winner – Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film
To honor its historic achievements, both the Oscar and Golden Globe statuettes are now proudly on display at the Latvian National Museum of Art.
A Wordless Masterpiece
With no dialogue and a minimalist yet emotionally resonant narrative, Flow invites viewers of all ages to reflect on companionship, survival, and the quiet resilience of nature. It’s a triumph not only for Latvia’s growing film industry but for global animation.