Gints Zilbalodis's 'Away' Returning to UK and Irish cinemas

Fresh from his double Oscar nomination, the debut feature from Gints Zilbalodis is returning to cinemas in the UK and Ireland in 2025. Audiences will get another chance to see Away, ahead of the release of his new feature Flow.

Away is a fantasy adventure about a lone boy travelling across an island on his motorcycle, trying to escape the shadow of a dark spirit and find his way home. Along the way he makes connections with several animals and reflects on the possible ways he ended up on the island. Dreamlike and fantastical, Away explores our common, universal need to make a connection.

What's more impressive is that Zilbalodis made almost the whole film single-handedly. He entirely wrote, animated, directed and edited the film by himself, and even composed the score. It took him three and half years to complete.

The re-release of Away is scheduled for March 14,  making a timely opportunity for audiences to re-visit or discover Zilbalodis's feature debut ahead of the (to be announced) UK release of the double Oscar-nominated Flow. The new film has also been nominated for two BAFTAs,  several Annie Awards and won a Golden Globe.

Away's unique aesthetic and minimalist, dialogue-free narrative makes for a timeless experience, that earned it glowing reviews on its initial release in 2020. We marked out Zilbalodis as one to watch in our review. "On its own merits, Away is a captivating experience with some unforgettable imagery. But as the work of just one filmmaker it's a towering achievement- and one that will leave you eager to see what he does next."

Among the awards it managed to win was the prestigious Contretemps Cristal at the Annecy International Animation Festival. His second feature would go one better and win the Jury Award, the Audience Award and Best Original Music, as well as a nomination for the Cristal for Best Feature.

The multiple award-winning UK short The Lab by Izzy Livesey will be screened before the main feature. The pairing highlights the strength of emerging talent in the independent animation world.

Away is released by Munro Films.