The Savannah Film Fest always delivers a great selection of films, but one film caught my interest in particular this year, and that was Kedi. Widely acclaimed, Kedi is a Turkish documentary about cats that live in Istanbul. Starring 7 cats, some are streets cats and some belong to owners, yet each of these cats have their own individual personalities as they live their unique lives in the beautiful neighborhoods in Istanbul.
Heartwarming and innocent, this isn’t a 90 minute long ASPCA ad to make you feel guilty and at fault about the issue of homeless cats, but rather a film to show support of the nature of cats. To show the beauty of feline life, and of pet ownership.
Anyone close to me knows that I am a proud cat person. As a former volunteer at my local animal shelter, I not only understand the importance of adopting and raising cats, but rescuing them off the street and giving them a life. Kedi not only shows the importance of taking care of street animals by giving them food and medical attention, but shows another important aspect, by showing street animals love. To give them caring attention and empathy after living their lives in negligence.
Even if you aren’t a cat person (Why?), Kedi is more that just a ‘cat documentary’, but it’s a film that shows the beauty of Turkish culture and society, and how Turkish people treat animals with love and compassion. Kedi shows how in amazing ways human beings cherish our furry friends.
While it touches on important issues, such as gentrifying areas of Istanbul that pose a threat to feral cats colonies, and the large mass of homeless animals, it also shows the Turkish people forming a community to take care of these cats and to overcome the issues that street cats face, to show them attention and care. To give them a better life, and to show them what love is.