Flow

F

 

Synopsis: A cat survives in the aftermath of a flood. The cat finds him/herself on a boat with several other animals.

As a generalization, house cats do not like water: as in they won’t willingly immerse themselves in it. But in Flow, our protagonist, a lithe black cat, must contend with increasing rivers of water covering the land.

Cat lives on Earth, but a near future world that has been flooded by water, with pockets of terrain here and there. When we see Cat patrolling their forest and meadow territory, we see a boat caught up high in tree limbs. Clearly there had been sudden catastrophic flooding. There are no humans to be seen; which the cat may like. Whenever I spy a cat outside, I approach and speak gently to them, telling them things along the lines of what a pretty kitty. Once in a while, a cat will accept my friendship, but they usually fix me with a steely look or hide under a bush. 

After hunting, Cat returns to their two-story home. Cat climbs up to a second- floor bedroom, choosing to lie on a bed that we presume they shared with their person. It seems that they may have even been fond of their human companion. On the grounds immediately surrounding the house, there are cat statues. So, it seems that the person had the appropriate veneration of cats.

This new world must not be easy on Cat.  After all, those tuna cans don’t open themselves and someone needs to clean the litter box. Now Cat must get by on their own.

One day, Cat is out when they come upon a pack of dogs, squabbling over a cache of fish. Cat catches the eye of a Golden Retriever who gives them a curious and benevolent look. Cat takes their chance and grabs a fish, causing the rest of the dog’s pack to give chase. 

Cat drops fish while running from the dogs  and, oh no!, another wave of water rushes forward. Overtaken by the water, Cat manages to grab onto a tree limb. As if things aren’t bad enough Cat ends up sharing the space with the Golden Retriever Dog. The limb breaks and they both swim to shore.

Thankfully, Dog is not aggressive. But, to Cat’s consternation, Dog wants to become friends. Cats would be the first to tell you that they do not want dog friends. In fact, many do not want cat friends either.

Cat lovers respect that each cat is an island unto him/herself. While treats are always welcome, petties should be doled out according to the cat’s preferences. One pet too many and out come the claws.  Maybe a good bite if a human has the temerity to offer a tummy pet when kitty is rolling around. I was showing you me fluffy tums to demonstrate trust! You have violated that trust with your menacing touch! Best to worship cat from a safe distance. And keep your voice down.

However, lions, the only truly social felines, know something that most other little and big cats resist;  being in a group can help you survive. And people have been trying to convince cats for thousands of years that being social can be pleasant. It’s my opinion that cats aren’t really domesticated– they are too proud for that.

But our friend, Cat, lives in a changing world. And their natural avoidance of unfamiliar animals may give way.

I wouldn’t want you to miss discovering for yourself the twists and turns of their journey, suffice to say that they end up in a sizable boat with tattered sails. Now Cat will not have to try and outrun anymore floods. The one potential problem? Cat has to share the boat with a capybara.

Capybaras look like goat-sized guinea pigs. They are vegetarians who live in the Amazon, looking very cute. They are adept swimmers, using the ability to travel and take advantage of aquatic plant foods.

Cat could sense that the critter wasn’t a predator. Good news! But capybaras are social animals. And if social animals can’t find their own kind, they will look for another (not-dangerous) creature they may be able to relate to.

Cat’s instincts don’t compel them to seek friendship. So shy Cat climbs the mast and studies the flooded terrain. The two are peaceable and safe from the water, but they need food. Unfortunately, there are no mousie stowaways to hunt. Or grasses for Capybara.

Now, small cats have great balance, but our friend falls overboard. Oh no! While submerged, startled Cat spies schools of little fish. Using their stored breath, they dart after one. Success! Now to get back on the boat…

Along the way, the boat will pick up other refugees. The menagerie includes a Secretary bird with an injured wing, a lemur who collects little treasures and meditates, and the return of Dog.

Bird proves to be a fine sailor, and steers them to exposed land, where they can  disembark and seek food. When they sail, the animals become comfortable dozing together and, over time, start to look out for each other when danger confronts them. They see wondrous things too, like a catfish-looking whale creature breaching.

While Bird is steadfast in steering, occasionally another group member takes over. Kitty sails in a pinch. Capybara is eager to try their paw at sailing when Bird temporarily relinquishes the rudder. Capybara sails with naive optimism, getting the tattered sail tangled as they navigate the flooded streets of a town…

No people anywhere. This would be great news for the wild animals, if not for the periodic flooding. For the “pet” species? The cats and dogs have had to learn to survive without human help. And all of the land animals need to find solid ground. Our sailing friends are learning to make their way together.

Is our darling Cat able to bend their aloof nature? Well, Cat does approach the world of social bonds; becoming unfazed by Dog’s boisterousness, playing with Lemur’s swishing tail, appreciating Bird’s altruism and valuing placid Capybara. 

Maybe to Cat, this menagerie is easier to adjust to than life with humans. No  heavy footfalls, relative clumsiness, tardiness with meals, no scoldings for scratching up furniture, no loud voices, or too many petties.

Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis keeps his secrets. What has caused the flooding? Are there any humans left? What was Cat’s human-given name? Why are animals from all over the world — Secretary bird from African grasslands, Capybara from the Amazon, and Lemur from Madagascar — in this one place?

Maybe it is Zilbalodis’ way of telling us that we are all in the same boat with climate change? I don’t know, but I do know you will care about what happens to Cat and their companions. And you’ll be grateful that the animals don’t speak any human languages. Voices/dialog for animal characters in animated films can be obnoxious- with notable exceptions like Lion King.

Like Cat, we have to learn to understand the intentions of another species by carefully observing their behavior. Like when Bird endangers his/herself by stepping between Cat and another animal.  Fortunately, there are no snakes on the boat, but if there were, Bird would be able to demonstrate how they stomp them to death in the wild. Or when Lemur intuits that Cat is feeling forgotten and leaps after them. Or when Dog offers food to Cat, apologizing for the boorishness of his canine friends. And Capybara, who shows calm and goodwill to all; so what if they are not a good sailor.

The overall effect is dreamy and poignant. It may even be something that your cat would deign to watch. 

P.S.  What of domestic cats’ sociability? When closed in together in an animal shelter, cats tend to get stressed. Outdoors, cats may gather in colonies, with mother cats nursing each other’s kittens. 

As for emotional bonds with other animals or humans? Much anecdotal evidence shows cats seeking out trusted company. The novelist Caleb Carr wrote a wonderful novel, My Beloved Monster, about the emotional bond between him and his cat, Masha.

P.P.S.  There are big cats who like water: tigers and jaguars. Both species will use water to cool off and will even pursue prey into the water. Fishing cats are medium sized, semi-aquatic cats, native to Asia. Some domestic cats like water, reputedly Turkish Vans and Norwegian Forest breeds, among others. But never, ever force the issue. Unless the vet prescribes a bath, cats do well with grooming themselves.

Movie Loon’s Movie Review Shortcut:

Grade:   A

Cut to the Chase:  Lovely, with engaging animation. The filmmaker used Blender, a free and open source software, to make the movie.

Humor Highlight:   Capybara’s gentle antics.