When Flow took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature this past Sunday, it was nothing short of groundbreaking. This film, created entirely with Blender — the free, open-source 3D animation software — not only claimed the most prestigious award in animation but also set records that could shake up the entire industry. While director Gints Zilbalodis and producers Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens, and Gregory Zalcman made history, digital artists creating 3D motion design and animation took notes. For 3D artists, this win signals a massive shift in what’s possible with animation tools, and it opens up new doors for indie creators everywhere.