The European Parliament’s LUX Viewers’ Prize is received by Straume / Day

The award was also nominated for « Animal », « Dahomey » (« Dahomey Kingdom »), « Interepted » (« intercepted ») and « Julie Keeps quiet ». The winning film was chosen by voting together for viewers and MEPs, each group set 50% of the vote.

« Straume », or « Flow », was the only award -winning animated film this year, and in the past only in the 2022, the award was nominated for the Animation film. At that time, it was the documentary animation film for adults « Flee » by Danish director Jonas Poher Rasmussen.

Since 2020, the LUX European Viewers’ Film Award is awarded to the EP and the European Film Academy in cooperation with the European Commission and the cinema network « Europa Cinemas ». The name of the prize is made up of the Latin word « Lux », which means « light ». The prize worships European cinema and aims to attract a wider European society and talk about the public important topics that reflect the common European values.

Ron Dians, producer of « Straume » from France, said in an interview with journalists before the prize ceremony, they emphasized that it was a Latvian film, as Latvia also uses this film to survive in a serious geopolitical situation. The film is an opportunity to show the world to the world where Latvia is and in what situation it lives. In his opinion, this film must not only be advertised as a European film, as Europe is also attacked, but directly emphasized that Latvia is the first country at the border with the aggressor.

Rihards Zaļupe, the author of « Straume », said in an interview that the film evokes people’s emotions, and that direct good emotions people are so much lacking in today’s world where so much negation prevails. Therefore, it is important to talk about the emotional world.

Diana also mentioned the fact that the film is a co -production and has succeeded in achieving the same thing as the characters in the movie in one boat. It is about cooperation and respect. He pointed out that in the film, both in its storyline and in its creation, the key was the collaboration, and they managed to create this great movie with mutual trust and smile.

« Straume » premiered on May 22, 2024, at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it became one of the festival favorites in both the audience and the critics. The national premiere took place on August 28, 2024, but in January this year, « Straume » became the most watched film in Latvian cinemas. More than three million spectators have watched the film on dark gray cats in the world.

« Straume » is the first Latvian film work to ever nominate the US Film Academy Awards and won the Oscar in the best -length animated film in the Oscar category. The American Film Academy Award « Straume » was also nominated in the category « Best Foreign Film » and became the second film in the history of the award, which earned two such nominations, but for the first time the best was a film without a dialogue. So far, « Straume » has won more than 70 awards in various countries and continents, including the European Film Academy Awards, the US Film and Television Industry Award « Golden Globe », the French National Film Award « Caesar » and others.

The main character of the animated movie « Straume » is a pronounced loner. When his homes destroy a huge flood, he finds a shelter in a small boat with other animals. To survive, the cat must learn to cooperate. Together with Capibar, Lemur, Dog and Bird, he travels through mysterious landscapes, learning how to adapt to the new, uninhabited world.

The main creative team of « Straume » is director, producer, screenwriter and artist Zilbalodis, producer and screenwriter Matisse Kaža, producers Ron Diana and Gregory Zalkman, sound director Gurvals Koik-Gallas, chief animator Leo Silie-Pelis. The music authors are Zilbalodis and Rihards Zaļupe, the visual effects of artists – Konstantin Vishnevsky and Mārtiņš Upītis.

The film « Straume » is financially supported by the National Film Center, the State Culture Capital Foundation, « Eurimages », the French National Film Center, the Television « Arte » and « Canal+ », various regional funds and support programs in France and Belgium. The film was produced at the Latvian studio « Dream Well Studio », French studio « Sacrebleu Productions » and Belgium studio « Take Five ».