Gints Zilbalodis' animated film Flow has been nominated for an Academy Award in the categories of Best International Feature Film and Best Animated Feature Film, both categories in which it was in the running, LSM reports.

The Academy Award nominees in 24 categories were announced on Thursday, January 23.

In a clip posted on his social media, Zilbalodis is casually munching on an apple as the nominations are announced. Sitting by his side is his fluffy golden retriever, who becomes the star of the moment when Zilbalodis starts petting and cuddling him in celebration.

Captioning the video, the filmmaker wrote, “Flow director and dog react to Oscar nominations.”

Flow (Latvian: Straume) is an independent animated fantasy adventure film released in 2024, directed by Zilbalodis and co-written by him alongside Matīss Kaža. The fact that it was created entirely using Blender, a free and open-source software, and unfolds without a single line of dialogue sets the film apart. The story follows a cat whose world is turned upside down by a catastrophic flood. Stranded on a boat teeming with diverse animal species, the cat must navigate challenges and learn to work with its unlikely companions to endure the journey.