The animated fantasy adventure Flow, which claimed Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards, has made waves in the Chinese mainland since its February 28 premiere. The Latvia-France-Belgium co-production, directed by Gints Zilbalodis, blends environmental themes with surreal visuals, resonating strongly with Chinese audiences.
On March 14, the Latvian Embassy in Beijing hosted a screening titled A Journey of Shared Destiny, attended by Ambassador Karlis Eihenbaums, who praised the film's “artistic innovation and cross-cultural appeal.” The event featured a live discussion with water effects artist Martins Upitis, who revealed technical breakthroughs in creating the film's fluid animation sequences.
Underscoring the cultural exchange, first-year Latvian language students from Beijing Foreign Studies University addressed Zilbalodis in fluent Latvian during a virtual Q&A, expressing excitement for potential China-Latvia animation collaborations. “This dialogue between creators and audiences shows how art transcends borders,” remarked Ambassador Eihenbaums.
