Ceyda Torun’s ‘Kedi’: London screening and Q&A about this cat’s eye-view documentary of Istanbul

 

Thousands of street cats have lived in the city of Istanbul for centuries, roaming freely and unencumbered virtually anywhere. Neither wild nor tame, locals take care of them – or maybe it’s the other way round, with the human characters highlighting the redemptive benefits of taking care of these homeless felines.

Dubbed ‘the Citizen Kane of cat documentaries’, and a box office sensation in the US, Turkish-born filmmaker Ceyda Torun takes us on an intimate tour through Istanbul’s streets, alleys and enclaves from a cat’s-eye-view with inventive camerawork.

On the making of her documentary, Ceyda said: “I grew up in Istanbul and I believe my childhood was infinitely less lonesome than it would have been if it weren’t for cats – and I wouldn’t be the person I am today. They were my friends and confidants and I missed their presence in all the other cities I ever lived in. This film is, in many ways, a love letter to those cats and the city, both of which are changing in ways that are unpredictable.”

A must for cat and Istanbul lovers, on Monday night the BFI will be screening Kedi followed by a Q&A with Ceyda Torun. Tickets are on sale via the BFI website, but hurry – most seats have already been sold.

Director Ceyda Torun grew up in Istanbul surrounded by the city’s famed cats

 

Screening details

Title: Kedi + Q&A with director Ceyda Torun

Date: Monday 26th June 2017

Start time: 8.45pm

Film running time: 79 minutes

Venue address: NFT1, BFI, Belvedere Rd, South Bank, London SE1 8XT

Admission: Tickets £15, concs £12 (Members pay £2 less).

Tickets: buy from BFI’s online ticket shop