Gints Zilbalodis

Gints Zilbalodis (born 13 April 1994) is a Latvian filmmaker, animator and composer. A prominent figure of Latvian animation and the global independent animation industry, Zilbalodis's films are considered minimalist and often explore themes of journey, isolation, survival against nature, and the power of collaboration and camaraderie.

Zilbalodis is best known for his works of animated adventure films Away (2019) and Flow (2024), the latter of which earned him accolades including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Annie Awards, with nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, making him and co-producer Matīss Kaža the first Latvians to win an Academy Award.

Early and personal life Gints Zilbalodis is the child of a painter mother and a sculptor father. He gained interest in filmmaking as a medium for expressing his thoughts; he stated that he struggles to express his emotions externally. He chose not to attend university as Latvia had no animation schools, instead teaching himself animation, sound design, and even musical composition.

Zilbalodis has cited the works of Hayao Miyazaki, Steven Spielberg, Wes Anderson, Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese, Hal Ashby, Sergio Leone, Jacques Tati, Alfonso Cuarón, and Paul Thomas Anderson, as his major influences.

Career After directing seven short films, Zilbalodis' debut feature, Away, premiered in 2019. Written, directed, and scored by Zilbalodis himself, Away was awarded the Contrechamps prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Music in a Feature Production.

Zilbalodis' second feature film, Flow, was selected to screen in the Un Certain Regard portion of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Unlike his past works, Flow marked the first time Zilbalodis collaborated with other staff, with animation co-produced by Sacrebleu Productions of France and Take Five of Belgium. It went on to win numerous awards worldwide, including Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards and in the same category at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, while receiving nominations for two British Academy Film Awards and the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

Zilbalodis later announced he would make another film, Limbo, scheduled for 2028.

Filmography Short films Rush (2010) Aqua (2012) Clarity (2012) Priorities (2014) Followers (2014) Inaudible (2015) Oasis (2017)

Feature films Away (2019) Flow (2024) Limbo (2028)

Awards and nominations Away Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2019 Annecy International Animation Film Festival Contrechamps Award for Best Feature FilmAway Lielais Kristaps Best Animated Feature Film Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival Best Animated Feature Best European Fantastic Feature Film Vilnius International Film Festival New Europe – New Names Competition

Flow

+ Selected awards and nominations received for Flow Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2024 Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard Flow 2025 Academy Awards Best Animated Feature Outstanding Writing in a Feature Production BAFTA Awards Best Animated Film Best Children's & Family Film César Awards Best Animated Film Golden Globe Awards Best Animated Feature Film