Exciting News for Animation Enthusiasts

As Gints Zilbalodis and his talented production team celebrate their two Academy Award nominations for the Golden Globe-winning animated feature Flow, Munro Films has announced the much-anticipated return of Zilbalodis’ first solo-animated feature, Away, to U.K. and Irish cinemas on March 14.

Reflecting on the Journey of Away

Six years ago, Cartoon Brew covered the making of Away during its debut at Animfest and Annecy. Today, the creative parallels between Away and Flow are striking. Visually, Zilbalodis’ inaugural feature serves as a creative sibling to Flow’s distinctive Blender-animated design. Away boasts a similarly delicate and luminous graphic style, crafted in Autodesk’s Maya, and features a handheld-camera aesthetic achieved through Maya’s Viewport as playblast animation.

A Minimalist Narrative with Depth

The minimalist storyline of Away, which follows a boy stranded after an airplane crash, mirrors the non-verbal and somewhat abstract nature of Flow. It carries a science fiction essence described as “part dream, part reality.” Additionally, the production of Away reflects the filmmaker’s personal journey, emphasizing our universal need for connection, a theme highlighted in today’s press release.

Upcoming Releases to Watch

Mark your calendars! Flow is set to hit U.K. cinemas on March 21, distributed by Curzon’s Artificial Eye label.

Short Film Accompanying Away

For its theatrical return, Away will feature a concise running time of 75 minutes, complemented by Izzy Livesey’s delightful three-minute animated short, The Lab (2024). Livesey crafted this charming and beautifully rendered short as her final major project at Bournemouth University’s National Centre for Computer Animation, collaborating with Kitty Smith, Shelly Ferrerosa Alves, and Livvy Cook.