Oscar 2025: Latvian film wins the award for the first time in history

For the first time in the history of Latvian cinema, the animated film Straume won the prestigious Oscar 2025 award in the Best Animated Feature category. This victory was not only a recognition of the talent of Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis, but also a symbol of a breakthrough for independent animated films.

The film, created using free open source software, impressed the audience with its visual mastery and deep emotional content.

"Straume" tells the touching story of a cat seeking shelter on a boat with other animals who have lost their homes due to the flood. The film, which does not contain any dialogues, conveys a powerful message of unity and survival in the face of natural disaster.

The Straume's victory came as a surprise to many, as it beat out such high-profile projects as Inside Out 2, Moana 2, and Wild Robot, which had much larger budgets and advertising campaigns. This triumph emphasized the growing role of independent cinema on the world stage and its ability to compete with large studio projects, USA TODAY writes.

Reaction of the director and the team

Gints Zilbalodis, receiving the award, expressed his gratitude for the warm reception of the film and expressed hope that this victory will open up new opportunities for independent animators around the world. The film's team also shared their inspiration and desire to return to the Oscars in the future.

Straume - interesting facts about the cartoon

The original title is "Straume". This is an animated fantasy adventure film by Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis, released in 2024. The script for the film was co-written with Matthijs Kazh. The film was selected as a candidate from Latvia for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. This is the first Latvian film to be nominated in this category, and it also received nominations for Best Animated Feature.

The plot of the film revolves around a black cat trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where water has flooded the Earth. The cat faces various dangers, including packs of dogs, hostile secretive birds, and other challenges. All the while, he and other animals try to find a safe place to survive the apocalypse.

The film has received critical acclaim for its innovative animation and mature themes. It has been awarded at several international festivals, including the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, and won the Audience Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

The film was also recognized for using the open source software Blender for animation, which made its production unique in the animation industry. In addition, it was presented at several international film festivals, including Toronto and Busan.

"Straume" was released in Latvia on August 28, 2024 and became one of the most popular domestic films in the country, collecting more than 100,000 tickets. In addition to Latvia, it was also shown in France and the United States.

Critics have praised the film for its deep emotional content and powerful atmosphere created by computer animation. Famous film critic Jake Coyle named Straume the best animated film of 2024, noting the dreamy surrealism and spectacular animation.

The film was also included in the list of the 30 best films of 2024, which emphasizes its success on the world stage of cinema.

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