Last Updated on 15 November 2023 by Vanessa
A new cat documentary is hitting theaters today: Kedi (aka Nine Lives: Cats in Istanbul).
This heartwarming film directed by Ceyda Torun showcases the daily lives of the feline residents of Turkey’s largest city and the people who care for these beloved animals.
Istanbul, a city of cats in Turkey
Istanbul is widely known as a city of cats. Hundreds of thousands roam the metropolis freely. They are neither wild nor tame. Though they claim no “owners,” they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could.
“Every year that I returned to the city, I saw it change in ways that made it less and less recognizable, except for the cats; they were the one constant element, becoming synonymous with the city itself and ultimately, embodying its soul,” says Kedi director Ceyda Torun, who grew up in Istanbul in the early 1980s.
“This film is, in many ways, a love letter to those cats and the city.”
Kedi movie review
In her film, Ceyda Torun takes us on a journey through the city’s streets, alleyways, and rooftops, where we meet a variety of cats and the people who care for them. The film offers a unique perspective on the relationship between cats and humans in Istanbul, where the cats are considered an essential part of the city’s culture and history. The film shows how the cats have become an integral part of the community, bringing people together and even inspiring artists and writers.
The Kedi documentary is a visual feast, with stunning cinematography that captures the cats in all their glory. From the majestic calico Gamsiz to the mischievous street cat Aslan Parçasi, each cat has its unique personality and story.
In their effort to capture as much of the cats’ individual lives and secrets as possible, director Ceyda Torun and cinematographer/producer Charlie Wuppermann experimented with various “cat-cameras” to follow the animals into dark alleys and deserted basements and they flew drones over the rooftops for a more general view of Istanbul and its feline inhabitants. They pretty much stalked the cats in Istanbul for several months which resulted in many over-the-shoulder shots as the cats navigated the city streets.
The filmmakers also talked to locals that had extensive knowledge of the street cats and had bonded with them in sometimes unusual ways.
Turns out each cat has its own unique personality and “goal” in life.
Some cats only live for love while others have nothing but food on their minds. There’s the psycho, the social butterfly, the player, and the thief.
With backgrounds as varied as their human counterparts, the street cats in Istanbul experience the city in ways totally unknown to people.
Everyone who had allowed themselves to form a meaningful relationship with these creatures had come to experience life and their part in it differently. The degree of this profound change in perspective varied from person to person, but one thing remained constant, it was brought on by having the opportunity to co-exist with an animal with charm, intellect, and self-sufficiency.
The film also touches on important topics such as animal welfare and the impact of urbanization on the cats’ lives. By highlighting the cats’ resilience and the community’s efforts to care for them, the film sends a message of hope and compassion.
Overall, Kedi is a delightful and heartwarming film that cat lovers and animal lovers alike will enjoy. It offers a unique perspective on the relationship between cats and humans and showcases the beauty of Istanbul’s feline inhabitants.
Interview with Kedi director Ceyda Torun
What was the initial idea for this documentary and how did it transform into the final product?
Initially, we thought we could make a nature like March of the Penguins but with cats in Istanbul. We were quick to realize that we had neither the time nor the resources to make that film and we also came to see how significant the people and the city were to the story of the cats, that we finally found the direction of the film you see now. Of course, it took many months of editing and screenings and internal discussions to get there.
How significant were the cats of Istanbul in your own life?
They were my best friends. I wasn’t the most social with people or rather, didn’t enjoy the trappings of social expectations. I don’t think I was much different from other kids – I simply chose to spend more time with the cats. They were never judgmental, they didn’t demand anything from me, there was never a threat of not being liked for who I was, only for something I might have done, which I appreciated. They taught me how to be loving while being respectful.
Everyone in the documentary seems to love the cats and take good care of them. Is this the “normal” way of behaving around cats in Istanbul? Or are there just as many people who hate cats?
Of course, there are plenty of people who are “bothered” by cats, but in examining and talking with them, we realized just how little their dislike reflected on the bigger picture but that it rather highlighted some quirk about them. We also met people who appeared to really hate cats but it was nearly impossible to get a chance to interview them, mostly because they were also the same people who didn’t want to make eye contact with us.
The cats in the documentary are presented as tame street cats, yet some people had cat scratchers in their homes. How many of these felines are pets in the true sense of the word?
There are no accurate numbers in Turkey. Often people have what they’re calling “real pets,” who wander in and out of their homes and live a double life as street cats.
You ended up with over 180 hours of footage. How did you choose which images made the final cut?
We did an initial research shoot one year earlier where we decided on the approach to the film. We met quite a few of our subjects then. Later, before we went back to do the main filming, we had local researchers go out on the streets and try to find more leads on cat stories. We ended up with 35 leads and filmed 19 cats. We strung together the stories of individual cats first and eliminated the ones that simply weren’t complete. Then we looked at how those cat stories could be strung together and built the transitional elements of the film in order to create an emotional journey and structure.
I loved the gutter cat-cam footage. What type of cat-cam did you use for this?
Though we had created some modified remote controlled cars, the best rig turned out to be the most simple one. Our cinematographers Charlie and Alp devised a rig where they could secure the two Canon 5D’s we were shooting with on a platform with an elongated arm so they could control focus without having to bend over as they got tracking shots of the cats.
I’m sure there’s cat-cam footage in Kedi that we haven’t recognized as such?
It was all this rig. There are a few shots where we did use footage from the remote controlled car and some where we had a motion activated infrared camera which we captured the cat/rat hunt in the gutter through. We also used the GoPro 4 for the drone aerial shots.
What were the biggest challenges in making this movie?
It’s a very big subject and cats are a jumping off point for nearly any subject matter, especially in Istanbul and the rest of Turkey. Exploring all the obvious angles, choosing to pursue a poetic structure was very challenging. However, it was the most enjoyable film we’ve ever worked on – cats climbing on us while filming, getting to eat in Istanbul, talking to people about a subject matter that made everyone happy.
Usually, the biggest challenge is securing financing. Was that also the case with Kedi?
We had a financier out of Germany who simply had faith in the cats 🙂
My favorite cats in Kedi were Sari, because of how being a mother changed her, and Psikopat, because she was so funny in her role as the local psycho. Who is your favorite Kedi cat and why?
It’s so difficult to pick just one, but I was very fond of Bengu and how she so wonderfully navigated the tough working neighborhood that she lived in. She somehow managed to remain loving despite what I would imagine being a tough existence, living in an area of town where people only come to work and where it feels deserted at night.
What are your favorite cats from other movies?
It’s hard to choose. The Aristocats, of course, Jonesy from Alien, and most recently Ulysses from Inside Llewin Davis.
There are some great Turkish films out there, especially recently, but I don’t remember seeing any in which the cat was central to the film, except for Bad Cat, which was based on Bulent Ustun’s illustrated cat.
Do you have any last words about the cats in Istanbul?
Being respectful of the cats, treating them kindly and with consideration is the best I could ask of anyone.
Is Kedi (aka Nine Lives: Cats in Istanbul) a documentary you would consider watching? Let us know in the comments below.
Delightful Kedi movie posters 😻
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