Flow (2024), Gints Zilbalodis’ Academy Award-nominated animated feature, is officially joining The Criterion Collection in 2025, the Latvian director confirmed in a statement originally reported by IndieWire. One of the most acclaimed animated films of last year, Flow made history by earning Oscar nominations for both Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature—a rare feat previously achieved only by Flee (2021).
A visually stunning and dialogue-free odyssey, Flow follows a group of animals forced to navigate their new reality aboard a small boat after a flood devastates their world. The film was created using Blender, an open-source computer graphics rendering program, and was made on a remarkably modest budget. Despite its independent roots, Flow has become a word-of-mouth sensation, emerging as one of the most unexpected Oscar contenders in recent memory.
Flow has already collected numerous accolades, winning Best Animated Feature at major industry awards, including the Golden Globes, European Film Awards, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle, and Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Now, Zilbalodis is collaborating with Criterion on a 4K special edition of his groundbreaking animated film, bringing the richly detailed world of Flow to physical media in a definitive format.
When we reviewed Flow in late 2024, we found it to be a wondrous and singular achievement, particularly given its limited budget and independent production. The film’s gorgeous animation and immersive storytelling highlight the limitless potential of modern animation. 2024 was a standout year for innovative animated films, with Flow joining the ranks of The Wild Robot, Memoir of a Snail, and Don Hertzfeldt’s animated short ME. Its Criterion Collection induction further solidifies its place as one of the most essential animated films of the decade.
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2024, Animated Movie Reviews