Frolicking felines on the big screen

It’s back, it’s better, it’s bigger, and it’s fluffier than ever.

That can only mean one thing: The CatVideoFest 2023 is coming our way.

The popular annual event, which showcases the craziest, coolest, cutest cats at their unleashed, unhinged, uninhibited best, is being presented by Oscilloscope Laboratories and CatVideoFest and will be presented at hundreds of theaters across the United States this month. This Saturday, CatVideoFest 2023 will be presented at Foothills Tasting Room, located at 3800 Kimwell Dr. in Winston-Salem, as an a/ mobile screening under the auspices of Winston-Salem’s a/perture cinema. The lot will open at 7 p.m. and the screening will begin at dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.). Audiences are encouraged to bring their own chairs, and food and beverages will be available for purchase on the premises.

Tickets are $15 (general admission) and $10 (children under 12), and 10% of ticket sales will be donated to the Forsyth County Animal Shelter’s Animal Shelter Medical Fund, which supports the shelter’s injured and ill animals with the necessary funds to pay for emergency veterinary care. For advance tickets, visit https://aperturecinema.com/movies/cat-video-fest-2023/. (The rain date is August 19th.)

Since its inception, CatVideoFest has been screened in hundreds of theaters around the world, entertaining audiences of all ages. In addition to providing 70 minutes of non-stop feline fun, CatVideoFest has raised awareness and financial aid for cats in need. A percentage of the proceeds from each event are directly earmarked for local animal shelters and/or animal welfare organizations. In 2019, over $50,000 was raised for local shelters in addition to adoptions, fostering, and awareness raised at shows.

According to Lawren Desai, the executive director and curator at a/perture cinema, CatVideoFest has become something of an annual a/perture tradition, bringing young and old alike — and bringing attention and much-needed funding to an important cause.

“We started doing this back in 2017 or 2018 and at the time it was at a/perture,” she said. “During COVID times we decided to move it outdoors in 2021 to Foothills and it’s been there since. They are great partners. People love the CatVideoFest and come back every year — it’s just all about the cats, really!”

Indeed, it is. CatVideoFest 2023 is a compilation reel of the latest, funniest, most heartwarming cat videos selected from countless hours of submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic Internet clips. The man in charge of assembling CatVideoFest — the “Top Cat,” if you will — is Will Braden, the creator and editor of the program, who’s been doing it for more than a decade.

“In 2012, the first ‘Internet Cat Video Festival’ was held in Minneapolis at the Walker Art Festival,” Braden recalled. “A short film I made, Henri 2, Paw de Deux , ended up winning the Golden Kitty award that first year. I was there and it was an immense success and a huge amount of fun. So I sunk my claws in and kept getting more and more involved. In 2014, I started curating the reel for the Walker (festival), and in 2016 when they stepped away to do other projects, I started CatVideoFest to run everything myself and keep the cat party going! In 2019, we began our partnership with Oscilloscope for theatrical distribution and that really took it to the next level. Indie people are almost always cat people — or at least ‘cat-curious’!”

“Watching silly cat videos is good for you,” wrote the Wall Street Journal in 2016.

Piecing together each year’s CatVideoFest is no easy feat, said Braden. “I watch between 10,000 and 12,000 cat videos every year when putting together the reel. It’s a fun job but it’s definitely a lot of work! The only rule I have for a video is that it has to have something going on that captures people’s interest. There are over 200 individual clips in a reel that’s under 75 minutes long so there’s got to be something interesting or touching or silly or surprising in each one. Everyone loves their cats, but just a cat chilling on a bed might not be captivating to a large audience.”

Regarding the ongoing popularity of this feline franchise, “I’m not surprised by the interest in cat videos or CatVideoFest but I am proud of it,” Braden said. “As everything with theaters fluctuates and changes, it’s nice to know that cat videos bring a little consistency. Also, the rule of putting on shows specifically to help local animal shelters and animal welfare organizations is a permanent and unalterable part of the DNA of CatVideoFest . We’re open to almost any type of screening as long as there is a charitable partner involved. The idea of having fun and knowing you’re helping some cats in need at the same time is an undeniable part of CatVideoFest ’s success.”

The official Cat Video Fest website is http://www.catvideofest.com/. The official a/perture cinema website is https://aperturecinema.com/. !

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BOOK WITH PURPOSE: “DEAR AMERICA: NOTES FROM AN UNDOCUMENTED CITIZEN”

BY LAUREN WERNER AND JULIANA REYES

On August 8 at 6:30 p.m., The Hispanic League, Love Out Loud, Bookmarks and Forsyth Tech invite students, community members, and educators to an inspiring event centered around Jose Antonio Vargas’ book, “Dear America: Notes from an Undocumented Citizen.” The evening promises to be a celebration of stories, education, and advocacy, fostering meaningful discussions about identity and the pursuit of a better future.

Vargas’ memoir, part of Bookmarks’ Books With a Purpose Program, has touched hearts across the nation, sharing his journey as an undocumented immigrant and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. By sharing his struggles and triumphs, Vargas has become a prominent advocate for immigration reform, encouraging others to embrace their identities and stories.

Throughout the event, attendees will have the chance to hear inspiring stories from students and community members. One of the key topics for discussion will be the intersection of identity, education, and advocacy. The book’s exploration of Vargas’ personal experiences will prompt attendees to reflect on their own paths, connecting their stories to the broader human narrative.

In addition to the inspiring stories and discussions, organizations will showcase community resources and scholarships, including information about Forsyth Tech’s Class of 2023 College Commitment, which provides free tuition for a year for all NC high school graduates in the Class of 2023. The college’s commitment to creating an inclusive and nurturing environment for students reflects their dedication to empowering young minds and transforming lives.

The event will o er light hors d’oeuvres, fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie and togetherness. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with others who share a passion for education and social progress.

The Book with Purpose program is a Bookmarks summer initiative to unite