April 30, 2025

The animated feature FLOW by Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis has won the 2025 LUX Audience Award, presented annually by the European Parliament in cooperation with the European Film Academy. The winner was announced on Tuesday, April 29, during a ceremony held in the hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels. The award is determined by a 50/50 combination of public votes and those of Members of the European Parliament. This year, nearly 33,000 people participated in the voting.

FLOW (released in the Czech Republic under the title Kočičí odysea, or Cat Odyssey) is a visually stunning, dialogue-free animated film co-produced by Latvia, France, and Belgium. It follows the journey of a black cat and a group of unlikely animal companions who seek refuge in a flooded world abandoned by humans. The film explores themes of friendship, resilience, and ecological disaster—reflecting values promoted by the European Parliament, such as climate protection, solidarity, and environmental awareness.

Zilbalodis, who previously gained attention with his debut Away (2019), created FLOW largely single-handedly using open-source software Blender. The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and has since garnered critical acclaim.

European Parliament Vice-President Sabine Verheyen (EPP, Germany) stated:

“The LUX Audience Award is more than just a prize. It is a testament to the European Parliament’s commitment to democracy, freedom of expression, and the role of cinema in shaping our societies.”

Mike Downey, Chair of the European Film Academy, added that the nominated films show how European cinema can entertain, inspire empathy, and foster social change in a divided world.

In addition to FLOW, the other four finalists for the 2025 LUX Audience Award were:

ANIMAL (dir. Sofia Exarchou, Greece),

DAHOMEY (dir. Mati Diop, France),

INTERCEPTED (dir. Oksana Karpovych, Ukraine),

JULIE KEEPS QUIET (dir. Leonardo van Dijl, Belgium).

FLOW premiered in Czech cinemas on January 2, 2025, distributed under the Czech title Kočičí odysea by Film Europe. It was also featured at the Be2Can festival and the Days of European Film.

As part of the LUX Award outreach, the winning film will be screened with subtitles in all 24 official EU languages and shown in cinemas, schools, and cultural centers across Europe, promoting European cinema and cross-cultural understanding.