Gints Zilbalodis On How ‘Flow’ Has “Activated” Local Film Investment In Latvia & Avoiding Pitches To Produce A Sequel

deadline.com:

“Walking around Riga city there are Flow posters everywhere and people are doing graffiti of cats,” filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis said of the response to his history-making sophomore feature in his home country. “It has provided a kind of uplifting feeling for Latvia.” The national pride is understandable.

On Thursday, Zilbalodis’ Flow earned Latvia its first Academy Award nominations. The film landed Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature from the American Academy.

Latvia previously made 15 Oscar submissions before Flow but had never received a nomination. Zilbalodis spoke to us shortly after landing the historic noms on Thursday. “I don’t know what to think.

It’s just quite a lot. It was a very nervous day. We had to wait a long time and I couldn’t get any work done. I was just pacing around and now I’m just relieved and happy.