The internet's most beloved cat videos are making their way to the big screen, with the Cat Video Fest arriving in UK cinemas this weekend. The 73-minute, G-rated compilation features a mix of silly, cuddly, and sentimental feline antics, curated by Seattle-based filmmaker Will Braden, creator of the existential shorts series Henri, le Chat Noir.
Braden, whose business cards read 'I watch cat videos,' spends thousands of hours each year selecting the best clips. 'I want to show how broad the idea of a cat video can be,' he said. 'It isn't all just cats falling into a bathtub. That would get exhausting.'
Now in its eighth year, the festival has expanded globally, with screenings already held in the UK and Denmark, and for the first time in France, Spain, Japan, and Brazil. Last year, the event grossed over $1 million at the box office, with a portion of ticket proceeds benefiting cat charities and animal welfare organisations. Since 2019, the festival has raised over $1 million for such causes.
Braden noted the challenge of initially convincing independent cinemas to host the event, but said that once they try it, they want to repeat it. 'Everywhere that does it wants to do it again,' he added. The screenings attract a diverse audience, from children and cat enthusiasts to hipsters and grandparents.
'It's one of the only things, maybe besides a Pixar movie or Taylor Swift concert, that just appeals to everybody,' Braden said. 'We're not going to run out of cat videos and we're not going to run out of people who want to see it.'
