The cat and the friendly capybara head for the Golden Globes
In September, we recommended a movie about a little cat who makes unlikely acquaintances and friendships during an unexpected journey, caused by a sudden flood. The movie's journey continues, as the Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis' film Flow (Straume in Latvian) has been nominated for Best Animated Motion Picture at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, putting the Latvian animation in the global spotlight. Flow shares the nomination with such Hollywood blockbusters as Inside Out 2 and Moana 2. The film also just won Best Animated Feature at the European Film Awards.
Flow's nomination is a milestone, with director Matīss Kaža pointing out that this is ”a historic, first-of-its-kind moment for Latvian cinema,” especially taking in account the film's small budget of €3.5 million compared to the major budgets of Hollywood films. When accepting his European Film Award on 7 December, director Zilbalodis emphasised Europe's unique talent for crafting original, personal stories, urging continued efforts to protect this creative freedom. Be sure to add this Latvian gem to your holiday watch list.