The recipient of the 2025 LUX Audience Award was unveiled this evening during a live-streamed ceremony from the European Parliament Hemicycle in Brussels, moderated by Hajar Yagkoubi and Dylan Ahern from the Dutch organisation De Kiesmannen. Flow [+lire aussi :
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interview : Gints Zilbalodis
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fiche film], the sophomore feature by Latvia’s Gints Zilbalodis, was proclaimed the winner of the world’s largest audience award, a joint venture between the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in collaboration with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas. As in previous editions, a total of five films competed for the prestigious award. Zilbalodis’ moving tale of a black cat’s journey in the aftermath of a flood triumphed over the other four finalists: Animal [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Sofia Exarchou, Dahomey [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Leonardo van Dijl, all acclaimed titles that highlight the quality and diversity of contemporary European cinema.

Since the announcement of the five shortlisted films during the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg last September, the nominees have been subtitled in all 24 official languages of the EU and have toured across Europe through an extensive programme of over 800 screenings, both free and commercial. During this time, European audiences and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were invited to rate the films online, with each group contributing 50% to the final result. The voting period closed on 27 April, registering nearly 33,000 ratings in total. At the conclusion of the voting process, Flow received the highest combined score from both the public and the MEPs. From its inception, the LUX Audience Award has been committed to promoting dialogue and highlighting key issues central to European public debate, such as the defence of human rights and freedom of the press, the fight against social inequality, and the need to raise awareness of climate change, as demonstrated by this year's nominees.

First Vice-President of the European Parliament, Sabine Verheyen, one of the main supporters and driving forces behind the LUX Audience Award in recent years, was unable to attend the ceremony in person but recorded the opening speech for the ceremony, in which she expressed: “The LUX Audience Award is more than just a prize; it is a testament to the European Parliament’s commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and the role of cinema in reflecting and shaping our societies. For this award, we bring European stories closer to people, and just as importantly, we bring people closer to the work of the European Parliament.” Nela Riehl, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education, who is responsible for the LUX Audience Award, also addressed the audience, which included MEPs, film crews from the five nominated films, influencers, participants in the Young Talents programme and members of the European public. “Our committee and the European Parliament itself stand strong behind a conviction: culture and education are the foundation of a resilient, resistant and also democratic Europe, and that is why we work to ensure that artists, creators and educators are not left behind, but on the contrary, are empowered to help us shape the future of our European Union. [...] Cinema is a mirror, an amplifier of our voices and an alarm bell. It challenges us to reflect, to feel and to engage. In times of uncertainty, misinformation and fake news, free cultural expression becomes a form of democratic resistance,” said Riehl, who also expressed a commitment to strengthening and scaling up the budget for the audiovisual sector in the next long-term budget of the European Union.

Riehl was joined on stage by four individuals representing European citizens to reveal this year’s winner and present the award. Producers Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman, as well as composer Rihards Zaļupe, accepted the prize for Flow on behalf of its director. “Flow is a milestone for European independent cinema which opens a real door. [...] The film is a co-production, and our differences created a complementarity which elevated us. This is what this movie speaks about, but this is also what Europe shows us. We have to keep going in this direction,” said Dyens, who also reminded everyone that the film is predominantly a Latvian production, underscoring the significance of its success given the country's small film industry and limited funding resources. “Our film is about trust, respect, working together, personal growth, the wish to change, and the idea of inspiring others. I think that only by coming together, listening to each other, and letting go of ignorance can we achieve something truly important. [...] I believe that in these difficult times, it's really important - and even our responsibility - to become wiser and show more respect for nature and, most importantly, for each other,” concluded Zaļupe. In addition to taking home the trophy, the film will be adapted for visually and hearing-impaired audiences and will be further promoted across various Member States in the coming months.

Following its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Flow became the biggest European animation of the year, earning critical acclaim both domestically and internationally. It also emerged as one of the most celebrated titles during the international awards season, triumphing at the European Film Awards, the Golden Globes and the Oscars (the film won Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards, marking Latvia’s first-ever Oscar victory). The film concludes this remarkable run by adding the coveted LUX Audience Award to its achievements. Set in the aftermath of a mysterious and devastating flood, the film follows an endearing black cat who joins forces with unlikely allies to survive. This touching fable highlights the power of collaboration in the face of adversity and offers a timely reflection on climate change. The film was produced by Latvian outfit Dream Well Studio, France’s Sacrebleu Productions and Belgium’s Take Five, while Charades oversees its international sales.

On 9-10 June, a distinguished panel of producers, distributors, cinema operators, festival programmers and artistic directors from across Europe will gather to select the nominees for the 2026 LUX Audience Award, officially launching a new edition of the prize. All relevant information will be available on the official website of the LUX Audience Award.