Superficially, Kedi is an 80-minute Cats of Instagram post that alone prompts jubilation here at Film Clas. But these are the Cats of Istanbul, scratching their legacy into the street posts of old Constantinople for thousands of years; positively and profoundly affecting the lives of those who voluntarily take care of them.

The film is buoyed by majestic flyover shots of the ancient city. These perspectives allow time to fathom the vast and labyrinthine nature of Istanbul in the human eye and imagine the metropolitan cat tree at street level. Then, director Ceyda Torun remarkably places us side by side with the cats as they saunter the nooks and crannies accompanied by coordinated music perfectly synced to each of the cat’s personalities.

Those interviewed were observers and caretakers alike; each emotionally, and sometimes spiritually, connected to an individual or the lot. While a young lady admires a cat’s ability to express it’s femininity, a baker admires a cat’s restraint to tap at the window only when it is hungry. It’s a cultural essay.

This was certainly a treat for Film Clas. I didn’t cry too much. Kedi manipulates 4.86 napkins out of 5 while sliding lip balm off the coffee table.