Kedi

Regardless of your personal view of cats, this documentary will leave you intrigued while you roam the sites and experience the sounds of the ancient city of Istanbul.

This is a enjoyable little documentary about the lives of a multitude of roaming cats in present day Istanbul. Most of the furry little creatures exist on the streets while being provided with food and care from city dwellers, and the film resembles how we attempt to help homeless people here in the States.

All of the principal cats have names, and their lives are traced with a camera that frequently appears to be attached to a little wagon following them. Many humans are interviewed concerning their love of these little animals, and the entire film leaves a warm place in your heart. It is also likely to alter your attitude toward the Middle East.

The movie lasts only one hour and 20 minutes, but you see many shots of the city filmed from cameras attached to low flying aircraft. You get a fantastic view of parts of Istanbul, and this clearly is an ancient city that you should find a way to visit.

While I alluded to this in an earlier review of The Ottoman Lieutenant, Monica and I stayed in Istanbul for five days several years ago following a week long cruise through the Greek Islands. We stayed in a magnificent hotel located on the Bosphorus, which has a gigantic bevy of ship activity taking place throughout the entire day. On top of that, the old buildings are magnificent in the central city, and there is a bridge that leads you to the ancient section housing many of the old Mosques.

With Kedi, I was able to relive much of those travels during my stay, and I could only wish that the world would come to its senses and allow all of us to experience the glory of Istanbul.