TRIBECA REVIEW: ‘CatCam’

My confession: I’m not a big fan of cats. I’m also not a big fan of shaky-cam films. Of course, there are some exceptions to both rules, but, for the most part, I’m a dog person and fan of films that don’t make me throw up. When I first heard of CatCam, a short movie currently playing the Tribeca Film Festival, it seemed like a practical joke.

Juergen, a man from South Carolina, is so intrigued by the adventures of his adopted stray cat that he decides to loop a camera around its neck to see what happens during the day. Mr. Lee, a cutie if ever there was one, not only has some adventures on the road, but the images he brings back to Juergen are beautiful. From hanging out with other cats in the woods to getting interesting perspectives on front lawns, houses and streets, Mr. Lee is almost like an artist.

The so-called “CatCam” became a minor craze when Juergen took to the Internet with Mr. Lee’s photos. An engaging debate occurred on whether the pictures returned by this stray cat were, in fact, art or random images. The jury is still out on the artistic significance of these feline portraits, but there’s no denying that Mr. Lee’s story is the cat’s meow.

Director Seth Keal has stumbled upon a subject matter that’s much deeper than a simple household experiment. Juergen and Mr. Lee have added (somewhat) to the debate on how to define art. Maybe I’m more of a cat person than I first thought.

CatCam is part of Tribeca’s Help Wanted series.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

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