At the 97th Academy Awards, it was a big day for animated films made in a non-English-speaking country. In the category for Best Animated Feature, Flow, the film directed by Gints Zilbalodis, won the first Oscar for Latvia ever. This is the latest achievement for the film after its wins at the Golden Globes and Independent Spirit Awards. It was also the first Latvian film to win a Golden Globe award. It is nominated for a Best International Feature Film Oscar as well.
In his speech, Zilbalodis said that by realising that we are all in the same boat, we must overcome our differences and find ways to work together.
Other nominees in the Best Animated Feature were Inside Out 2, Memoir of a Snail, Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and The Wild Robot.
In the category of Best Animated Short Film, the Iranian short film, In the Shadow of Cypress, directed by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, was the winner. It previously won the award for Best Animated Short Film at the Tribeca Film Festival. They dedicated the award to their fellow Iranians and all people fighting their personal battles.
Other nominees for the Best Animated Short Film were Beautiful Men, Magic Candles, Yuck! and Wander to Wonder.