By: Matko Kosovec
In June 2025, as part of the World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb, an inclusive screening of the Oscar-winning animated feature Flow was held at Kino Kinoteka. This groundbreaking event was adapted for blind, partially sighted, deaf, and hard-of-hearing audiences, offering a rare opportunity for equal access to high-quality artistic experience.
The screening featured audio description and open captions that included sound cues – providing essential tools for full comprehension and emotional engagement. Notably, Flow has no dialogue, narration, or text, relying solely on visual storytelling, music, and natural sound. For visually impaired viewers, such as myself, high-quality audio description was the only gateway to its poetic narrative.
This adaptation was made possible by the Centre for Audio Description and the passionate work of audio description director Antonio Pavlović. Importantly, organisations like the Croatian Blind Union and the Zagreb Association of the Blind continue to play a key role in the development and promotion of audio description through various national and EU-supported projects. Their work ensures that accessibility is not an afterthought but an integral part of the cultural sector in Croatia.
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis, Flow tells the story of a lone cat navigating a post-apocalyptic world submerged in water. In search of survival, it forges unexpected bonds with other animals. What begins as a quiet tale of instinct and resilience soon unfolds into a deeply symbolic reflection on community, trust, and the power of interdependence. The absence of humans in the film leaves room for a meditation on nature’s quiet renewal – a world where silence becomes the language of connection and hope.
The screening was a powerful reminder that art only truly fulfils its purpose when it becomes accessible to everyone. It was not just a film screening – it was an inclusive cultural moment where silence spoke volumes, and where accessibility gave voice to all.