First things first. If you don't like cats, avoid Kedi like the plague.
There's more cats in Kedi than a Kibble convention and for those that don't feel a particular inkling towards our beloved feline friends, Kedi would be some form of torture.
For the rest of us either passive cat fans or out and out crazy cat people, Kedi will be a delightful little treat as this lovable and easy to digest documentary that examines the life and times of various street cats that inhabit the landscape of Istanbul in Turkey is a no doubt slight but also thoroughly enjoyable documentation of the bond between humans and our ever aware paw clad friends.
Director Ceyda Torun never looks to delve overly deep into any of the aspects of these cats lives but as we're introduced to the various hairy stars and the humans they have chosen to interact with (as well as the city of Istanbul itself), Kedi begins to showcase an understated yet reassuring look at the bond between humans and animals and how often these animal characters possess many of our human flaws, goodness's and personality traits.
As Torun's camera prowls the hustling and bustling streets of Istanbul, sometimes from far above, sometimes from a cats point of few, we're introduced to the a cat that earns his keep by hunting rats, the cat that claws at the window of a café waiting for their food, a psychopathic cat that doubles up as an obsessive wife and a street wise cat the runs his neighbourhood as a dictator. They're but a few of the felines we are introduced to to go alongside our human figures.
It's a lovely touch in the way that Kedi subtly brings in humans to the cat-centric tale, as these real-life figures from Istanbul become our narrators and storytellers of the history behind these cats and the way in which they've become a part of their worlds. The film may be somewhat aimless and sometimes even directionless but Torun clearly saw the need to just film and let things happen, giving Kedi a fresh and raw approach that remains engaging, even when saying or doing very little.
Final say –
A feel good cat-centred documentary that will be an unabashed joy for those many feline fans out there, Kedi may never climb or claw its way to any great heights but this is easily one of the year's most good natured and easy to digest true life tales, that will more than likely encourage cat ownership for the most stone hearted of feline naysayers.
3 ½ rat exterminators out of 5
There's more cats in Kedi than a Kibble convention and for those that don't feel a particular inkling towards our beloved feline friends, Kedi would be some form of torture.
For the rest of us either passive cat fans or out and out crazy cat people, Kedi will be a delightful little treat as this lovable and easy to digest documentary that examines the life and times of various street cats that inhabit the landscape of Istanbul in Turkey is a no doubt slight but also thoroughly enjoyable documentation of the bond between humans and our ever aware paw clad friends.
Director Ceyda Torun never looks to delve overly deep into any of the aspects of these cats lives but as we're introduced to the various hairy stars and the humans they have chosen to interact with (as well as the city of Istanbul itself), Kedi begins to showcase an understated yet reassuring look at the bond between humans and animals and how often these animal characters possess many of our human flaws, goodness's and personality traits.
As Torun's camera prowls the hustling and bustling streets of Istanbul, sometimes from far above, sometimes from a cats point of few, we're introduced to the a cat that earns his keep by hunting rats, the cat that claws at the window of a café waiting for their food, a psychopathic cat that doubles up as an obsessive wife and a street wise cat the runs his neighbourhood as a dictator. They're but a few of the felines we are introduced to to go alongside our human figures.
It's a lovely touch in the way that Kedi subtly brings in humans to the cat-centric tale, as these real-life figures from Istanbul become our narrators and storytellers of the history behind these cats and the way in which they've become a part of their worlds. The film may be somewhat aimless and sometimes even directionless but Torun clearly saw the need to just film and let things happen, giving Kedi a fresh and raw approach that remains engaging, even when saying or doing very little.
Final say –
A feel good cat-centred documentary that will be an unabashed joy for those many feline fans out there, Kedi may never climb or claw its way to any great heights but this is easily one of the year's most good natured and easy to digest true life tales, that will more than likely encourage cat ownership for the most stone hearted of feline naysayers.
3 ½ rat exterminators out of 5