The event, scheduled for Friday, September 19, is part of CSIC’s summer film program, which brings together cinema, critical thinking, and scientific outreach.
The courtyard of the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) will be transformed into an open-air cinema on Friday, September 19, for the screening of Flow, an award-winning animated film that invites audiences to reflect on adaptation, coexistence, and resilience in times of deep transformation. The event is part of the fourth edition of CSIC de Cine, the summer film series organized by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), as well as in the ICM's institutional programme ‘Mar de Ciència’.
Following last year’s success, the ICM once again hosts the series in Barcelona, offering a proposal that combines outreach, accessibility, and an interdisciplinary perspective on today’s major global challenges. The event is free and includes universal accessibility measures.
Directed by Latvian animator Gints Zilbalodis, Flow has won numerous international awards, including the Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Animated Feature in 2024. Without dialogue and featuring a powerful visual narrative, Flow tells the story of a solitary cat who, after a mysterious flood submerges the world, is forced to share a small boat with other animals. As they sail together, they must learn to overcome their differences, cooperate, and find a new balance to survive.
A conversation before the screening
The screening will be preceded by a roundtable discussion offering a space for collective reflection on some of the themes raised by the film: sea level rise, climate change, species interdependence, community adaptation to transformation, and the value of cooperation.
The discussion will feature voices from both science and the humanities. Vanessa Sarah Salvo (ICM-CSIC) will moderate the conversation. Participants will include Rafel Simó (ICM-CSIC), an oceanographer specializing in microbial symbiosis and cooperation; and Javier del Campo (IBE, CSIC-UPF), an expert in coevolution and ecological relationships.
Cinema for all audiences
In line with CSIC’s commitment to inclusive science, the event will include live accessible subtitles, sign language interpretation, audio description, and a hearing loop for people with functional diversity. The venue is also free of architectural barriers.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. The roundtable will be followed by the screening of the film around 7:45 p.m. Capacity is limited to 120 people, and admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Entry is free but requires prior reservation. If seats remain available 10 minutes before the start, access will be granted without a reservation.
About CSIC de Cine
CSIC de Cine is an initiative led by the CSIC’s Deputy Vice Presidency for Scientific Culture and Citizen Science, with support from the CSIC Delegation in Catalonia and the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC). Its goal is to foster dialogue between science and society through cinema. The fourth edition of the series will take place for the first time in September, debuting a new venue in Madrid (Conde Duque Contemporary Culture Center), while maintaining its presence in Barcelona, with the ICM-CSIC as the host venue.
With carefully curated films and discussions featuring researchers, the series offers an enriching, inclusive, and accessible experience for all audiences. As Pura Fernández, the project lead, points out: “This year, we wanted to expand the project to a new cultural venue to continue promoting science in an engaging and relaxed way, without losing sight of debate and critical thinking.”