Cat Film Festival Reveals Felines Existed Before The Internet

By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 24, 2013 7:00PM

We know it is hard to imagine one without the other, but did you know that cats have been around since before YouTube? Before the Internet, even? We're still trying to wrap our heads around the concept, but apparently people have been spending lots of time looking at adorable felines since at least 5,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt.

Don't believe us? Head to Andersonville or Hyde Park this weekend, where Chicago Filmmakers have teamed up with South Side Projections for the CAT Film Festival. This an evening program of not cat videos, but they real cat movies, that is to say actual 16mm films. Definitive documentation of Felis silvestris catus via pre-Internet technology. As if that weren't enough, the screenings will all take place outdoors. Cats, movies, being outside ... what more do you want?

We're just happy to see cats get their due, programming-wise. Before they became the spirit animal of the information age, these furry friends played second fiddle on celluloid to man's best friend. Whereas dogs featured prominently in cinema history from Rescued By Rover to Air Bud, cats were considered more character actors. They play foils to protagonists, serve as props for villains from Blofeld's Cat to Mr. Bigglesworth, and occasionally as key plot drivers, such as Jonesy in Alien or our very favorite supporting cat role, "Hungry Cat" in The Long Goodbye (clip below).

Our top five feline feature film stars are: Zunar-J5/9-Doric-48 from The Cat From Outer Space, Baby from Bringing Up Baby, the black cat from The Black Cat, DC from That Darn Cat!, and Milo from The Adventures Of Milo And Otis

The event is part of the Summer 2013 Screening Series at Chicago Filmmakers, and won't be featuring your run-of-the-mill cat imagery. On tap is work of experimental filmmakers like Stan Brakhage, Yvonne Anderson, Joyce Wieland and Tom Chomont, footage from the Chicago Film Archives and other things you are unlikely to find on YouTube or anywhere else. Expect to be challenged by some decidedly out-of-the-mainstream cat content.

The CAT Film Festival takes place on Friday, July 26 at 8 p.m. in the parking lot of Chicago Filmmakers, 1478 W. Farragut Ave. and at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 27 in the of at Cafe 53, 1369 E. 53rd St. The suggested donation is $8