Kedi

Let's face it, cats are the pet of choice among nerds and geeks. They are intelligent and largely self-sufficient. It's why cat memes rule the Internet.

So a feature length documentary about cats is such a no-brainer that one wonders why it took so long. Kedi (Turkish for "cat") is a documentary about several cats in Istanbul.

Since at least the medieval period, cats have been revered in this city for there ability to keep the rodent population in check. There history undoubtedly goes back much farther in the region, though. They are mentioned in the Quran, with the Prophet Mohammad himself said to have fed one, and of course we know cat worship existed in ancient Egypt. The domestic cat is descended from wild cats in that part of the world. Anyone who has ever been to Istanbul can tell you that there are lots of cats around and the entire community feeds and waters them. World leaders come to pet the cat Gli who lives in the world's most famous mosque, Hagia Sophia.

Kedi focuses on telling the story of seven of these cats. Cameras follow the cats around often at cat-level. There is no narration; no judgements or political stances taken, no strongly pushed point-of-view from the filmmakers. Just video of cats, and interviews with numerous people who feed, shelter and give veterinary care to the cats. The film also features some spectacular aerial footage of the city as well.

Overall Kedi is a delight for cat lovers. As of this writing it hasn't found a wide release, just touring the festival circuit, but if you get a chance it's worth seeing if you're fond of felines.