Following a series of triumphant festival screenings across the globe and bolstered by overwhelmingly positive critical acclaim, indie animator Gints Zilbalodis’ (Away) latest endeavor, the dialogue-free, post-apocalyptic animal adventure Flow, has made its theatrical debut in two prominent locations—New York City and Los Angeles. The film has tapped into a robust specialty box office momentum, with sell-out screenings predominantly drawing in family audiences and generating an impressive total of $50.8K from the Angelika Theatre in New York City and AMC Burbank. This remarkable performance has afforded distributor Sideshow and Janus Films an extraordinary per-screen average of $25.4K, underscoring the film’s resonation within family-centric markets.
Flow, a cinematic piece eligible for consideration for the prestigious Best Animated Feature Academy Award, as well as Latvia’s official submission for Best International Feature, emerged as the highest-grossing film over the weekend at the Angelika Theatre, and claimed the title of third-highest earner at AMC Burbank. Remarkably, it achieved this ranking while competing against multiple screenings of major Hollywood blockbusters, including Gladiator II and Wicked, proving the film’s strong appeal and commercial viability.
The limited release of Flow was robust enough to secure its position within the domestic Top 20, landing a noteworthy spot at No. 17 on the charts.
Sideshow and Janus Films are set to amplify the film’s reach by expanding its release nationwide, catering to audiences in several hundred theaters starting December 6, thereby capitalizing on its initial success and broadening its viewer base.
Elsewhere in the animation sphere, DreamWorks/Universal’s The Wild Robot managed to secure the No. 8 spot in North America, garnering an estimated $2 million in its ninth weekend, a decrease of 53.6% from its previous performance, across 2,110 theaters, which is a reduction of 784 locations. This acclaimed adaptation of Peter Brown’s popular book has brought its domestic total to a significant $140.7M. Having surpassed the $300M benchmark globally last week, it now stands at an impressive $317.4M worldwide, solidifying its status as a box-office success.
[Sources: Deadline, Box Office Mojo]
What were the key motivations behind creating a dialog-free film like “Flow” and how did it impact the storytelling process?
**Interview with Gints Zilbalodis, Animator of “Flow”**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us, Gints. Congratulations on the successful premiere of *Flow*! After such a warm reception at film festivals, how did it feel to see it hit theaters in New York City and Los Angeles?
**Gints Zilbalodis:** Thank you! It felt surreal to finally share *Flow* with a wider audience. The festival screenings were incredibly rewarding, and knowing that families are enjoying the film in theaters makes all the hard work worth it.
**Editor:** The film is unique as a dialog-free experience. What inspired you to create a post-apocalyptic animal adventure without dialog?
**Gints Zilbalodis:** I wanted to focus on the visual storytelling aspect and evoke emotion through imagery and music rather than words. In a world filled with noise, I thought a quieter narrative could resonate more profoundly and allow viewers to interpret the story in their own way.
**Editor:** It seems to be resonating with audiences! I understand the film has generated an impressive $50.8K from screenings at the Angelika Theatre and AMC Burbank. What does this milestone mean to you and the team?
**Gints Zilbalodis:** It’s a significant validation for us. Seeing sell-out screenings, especially with family audiences, indicates that our message is connecting. It also showcases the potential for indie films to thrive in the specialty box office market.
**Editor:** Speaking of indie films, how important do you think platforms like Netflix are for independent filmmakers today?
**Gints Zilbalodis:** Platforms like Netflix play a crucial role in promoting indie films. They help reach broader audiences who might not otherwise have access to our work. Independent cinema has a lot of unique stories to offer, and these platforms can help bring those stories to light, just like *Flow* is doing now in theaters [[1](https://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/7077)].
**Editor:** Thank you, Gints, for sharing your insights. We look forward to seeing how *Flow* continues to perform and how it might inspire future indie projects.
**Gints Zilbalodis:** Thank you for having me! I appreciate the support and hope audiences continue to connect with *Flow*.
