When she looked back at the screen, the man was gone. In his chair sat a figure she didn’t recognize—a woman with no face, only smooth skin where features should be. The woman tilted her head, and a sound came out. Not words. A download bar: 1%, 3%, 7%.

Gints Zilbalodis’s (2024) is a rare masterpiece of visual storytelling that has taken the animation world by storm. This dialogue-free adventure has been celebrated for its immersive 3D animation and its ability to convey a profound emotional journey through the eyes of a solitary black cat. The Story: A Post-Apocalyptic Animal Odyssey