After “Flow” became the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award, the crew received much more than a warm welcome back home. Producer Matiss Kaza told IndieWire that when the Latvian filmmakers returned from Los Angeles, they were treated like they had won not just Oscar but Olympic gold.
“There was a special event at the monument of freedom in the center of Riga to welcome [us],” Kaza said. “Thousands gathered despite the late hour. A couple of days later, the entire team visited the president of Latvia. The three major trophies received by Flow were on display at the National Museum of Art, where they were seen by more than 28,000 people. Now, the trophies are touring the smaller Latvian cities, such as Liepāja, Cēsis, and Rēzekne so that fans in [those] regions can also see them in person. The nation is extremely proud of the achievement, and it is a testament to the fact that culture from small countries can have a worldwide impact and reach.”
The cutest display of national pride for the animated feature has been a real-life replica of its cat protagonist perched on top of the ‘Rīga’ letters statue that stands near the Freedom Monument. Director Gints Zilbalodis gave design details to sculptor Kristaps Andersons, who crafted a larger-than-life-size version of the cat, eyes wide and tail curled in its characteristic mix of wonder and anxiety. The sculpture will be on display near the Freedom Monument until April 1st, after which point it will be moved to the Town Hall Square in Riga — although much like the cat itself, the sculpture’s ultimate home is still unknown.
Zilbalodis had toyed with the idea of a cat struggling with a fear of water before he turned it into the wordless feature film but came back to it as a way to express very human emotions and anxieties. “Cats are very independent and do things their own way and [I thought] that could be a good starting point for this character’s arc,” Zilbadolis told IndieWire. “It can eventually learn to work together with others. It was also like, I was afraid of working together, but I figured if I made a story about it, I would have no excuse to backtrack out of it. It would be interwoven into the fabric of the story. It was my way of tricking myself into doing something I’m afraid of.”
If you would like to a photo with the tricky, courageous cat from ‘Flow’ — and experience some pride in one of the great indie success stories of 2024 — you have until April 1.