Flow

3/2/2025

Writing to survive the trump administration. Episode 39: Flow

Tommy and I joined Regal Unlimited about a year and a half ago, which means we pay a monthly subscription fee to see all the movies we want! Today’s movie was Flow, which is an animated feature by Latvian, French, and Belgian filmmakers and has no dialogue. It stars a cat, a capybara, a lemur, a dog, and a large bird in an apparently post-human world as a flood destroys their homes and they sail in search of dry land.

The movie is endearing in its portrayal of the animals inhabiting their honest traits – behaving as animals, not humanized or cartoon-ized in any way. This gives the story a blissful simplicity, quirkiness, and almost childlike naivete that is refreshing and delightful.

The universality of a story without words, which also has repeated themes of connection across species, overcoming differences, and doing our best to help or care for our fellow creatures – even ones who are virtual strangers – is a much-needed message during these current times.

Thank you, director Gints Zilbalodis and your whole production team, for putting your art into the world.